Auditioning in front of the judges and studio audience at America's Got Talent is undoubtedly nerve-racking, but a singer named Dani Kerr was rewarded when she put her courage to the test. The singer took to the stage and told judge Simon Cowell that she has loved music for her entire life, but she has only been performing in public for a few years. She also shared that she wants to help bring music back to "real" singing and songwriting.
After chatting with Cowell, Kerr dove into her first song, which was an original. She only made it about one minute into the tune when Cowell raised his hand and asked her to pause, much to the dismay of the audience.
"I think you were really nervous, and I could tell how important this is to you," Cowell told Kerr, while she brushed away tears. "Let's try that again."
Cowell asked if Kerr brought another song, and she then launched into a thoughtful original tune that references Tom Petty. The audience cheered Kerr on throughout the performance, and the singer was able to showcase her unique voice and strong range throughout the acoustic-based, country leaning song.
The judges looked pleased while Kerr was singing, and they shared their enthusiasm for her talent after the performance. Howie Mandel said Kerr reminds him of Stevie Nicks and Heidi Klum compared her to two other music legends.
"I hear a little Dolly, I hear a little Miley," she said.
Sofia Vergara also commented on the performance, saying she sounds "amazing" and "real." Even though Cowell asked Kerr to restart her performance, he had a very favorable review of her as an artist, saying he enjoys her songwriting and "distinctive" voice.
"You have one of my favorite voices this year," he said.
In the end, Kerr received four yes votes from the judges and made it through to the next round.
