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Inside Kodi Lee’s Powerful Return and the Song That Earned Him a Standing Ovation
Singer and pianist Kodi Lee makes his return to AGT. Hear how he wowed the audience.
In America’s Got Talent Season 14, pianist and vocalist Kodi Lee, who is blind and has autism, wowed the world with his musical talent. Luckily for his fans, the musical prodigy is back for America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League as one of Simon Cowell’s Dream Team picks.
“When Kodi won America’s Got Talent, I realized there are no more limitations,” his mother, Tina, said durning the Fantasy League premiere. “He literally opened a door for people like him.
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She added that he wanted to change the world by creating his own music.
What song did Kodi Lee sing?
Kodi Lee took to the America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League stage to debut a brand new original song titled “Change.” Before he took the stage, his mentor, Simon, noted that he believed people would see a very different version of Kodi Lee than the one everyone is used to and based on everyone’s reaction to the inspiring new single, he was right!
Kodi Lee's Fantasy League audition
Lee's audition for AGT: Fantasy League earned him a standing ovation from the Judges and the audience.
He came to the stage with an original song and proved he could have just as much impact with an original as he had with a cover. Lee jumped for joy at the applause. Mel B told him if she still had her Golden Buzzer, which she used earlier in the night to take a different Act from Simon, she would have used it for him.
“You’re a legend,” Mel B said.
Howie Mandel echoed the sentiment and said he was blown away by Kodi’s writing skills.
Speaking to NBC Insider, Kodi's mother, Tina, explained what it was like to see her son perform such a powerful song on the America's Got Talent: Fantasy League stage.
"I was so proud of him and it makes me so happy to see him reaching his dreams and working so hard to make a difference in the world. I couldn’t be more proud," she revealed.
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What was Kodi Lee's song about?
The powerful track starts out by talking about how words can cut deep. Kodi’s song was about encouragement and standing up for what you believe in. He sang about being sensitive and not falling for toxicity and manipulation.
Tina, told NBC Insider the song was born out of Kodi's desire to help people dealing with negativity or bullying after she read him some of the negative comments he'd received for his past work.
"So, we sat down with him as a team and wrote a song about anti-bullying and the hope that people will change and be better, and not to judge and be kind to one another," she explained.
She added that Kodi specifically wanted to lend his voice to the issue of bullying since he's always such a bastion of positivity.
"The song means so much to Kodi," she said. "He only knows goodness and giving everyone a chance. He wants people to know they have a voice and a chance to stand up against hate and cyber bullying. Nobody is alone and he wants everyone to speak up and be heard, and stand together in this fight."
This isn’t the first time Kodi has penned his own music. His first release was an original song titled "Miracle" and in January 2023, along with Colin Hay, he released the song "Hello World."
What other AGT spinoffs has Kodi Lee competed in?
In 2019, Kodi Lee performed on AGT’s Season 14. He earned a Golden Buzzer sending him straight through to the Live shows. His performances included Simon and Garfunkel’s "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "You Are the Reason" by Calum Scott, and "Lost Without You" by Freya Ridings. He won Season 14, having received the most votes. In 2022, Kodi performed during the AGT Qualifiers Results episode.
Before AGT: Fantasy League, earlier this year, Kodi returned to television to be on America’s Got Talent: All-Stars, which gathered the best of the best former contestants. Lee’s performances included a rendition of "Biblical" by Calum Scott for his audition and "Heroes" by David Bowie. Lee ended up finishing in the Top 11.
