Fifth Golden Buzzer of ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 18 Awarded

America’s Got Talent returned from a brief holiday break Tuesday night (July 11) ready for action. With only a fraction of the Golden Buzzers left to award, all eyes were on the judges to see if any contestants piqued their interest enough to automatically advance to the live rounds.

When contestant Lavender Darcangelo took the stage, it was clear that she had the perfect combination of talent and a heartwarming story to claim a buzzer for her own. During her introduction, Darcangelo let the judges and audience know that she is both blind and a person with autism. Having faced adversity her whole life, Darcangelo chose a song that touched on being accepted, “Out Here on My Own” from Fame.

Simon Cowell called the performance “sensational” and applauded the aspiring singer for bringing her talent and personality to the competition. He wrapped things up by letting Lavender her performance was one he’d never forget.

During the song, Sofia Vergara seemed almost entranced, something she confirmed during her feedback. Vergara remarked that she forgot she was supposed to be judging the act, and instead found herself lost in the song.

Heidi Klum echoed the sentiment of her fellow judges before taking it a step further. She let the room know that she’d be acting as Darcangelo’s cheerleader going forward and believed that the singer has what it takes to make it to the end. After the confident declaration, Klum reached to the front of the judge’s desk and slapped the Golden Buzzer.

After being awarded the buzzer, Darcangelo seemed to be in disbelief.

“I don’t know if this is a dream or if I am really awake,” she said. She was reassured by the falling golden confetti, Klum and her parents that this was her new reality.

When activated by one of the judges or the show’s host, Golden Buzzers send the contestant on stage to the live shows later on in the season. Darcangelo earned the fifth Golden Buzzer of Season 18, joining previous recipients that include dance group Murmuration, singer Putri Ariani, the Atlanta Drum Academy and the Mzansi Youth Choir.

Other acts from the night included a performance from a Military Choir, magician, aerial acrobats and a group of puppets. America’s Got Talent airs throughout the summer on Tuesday nights at 8PM ET on NBC.

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