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America's Got Talent | |
---|---|
Season 8 | |
Showrunner | Jason Raff [1] |
Hosted by | Nick Cannon |
Judges | |
Winner | Kenichi Ebina |
Runner-up | |
No. of episodes | 35 |
Release | |
Original network | NBC |
Original release | June 4 – September 18, 2013 |
Season chronology |
The eighth season of American talent show competition series America's Got Talent was broadcast on NBC from June 4 to September 18, 2013. Following the previous season, Sharon Osbourne left the program following a dispute with the network, leading to Mel B replacing her. The judging panel was expanded with Heidi Klum serving as a fourth judge. Along with these changes, the live rounds for this season were moved to Radio City Music Hall in New York.
The eighth season was won by mime dancer Kenichi Ebina, the first foreign act to win the American competition. Stand-up comedian Taylor Williamson finished in second, with singer and guitarist Jimmy Rose placing third. During its broadcast, the season averaged around over 10.10 million viewers.
Auditions for the eighth season's competition took place between January and May 2013, in a far wider number of venues. [2] Open auditions were held between January and February in Seattle, Portland (Oregon), Birmingham (Alabama), Memphis, Nashville, Savannah, Raleigh, Norfolk and Columbus. New Orleans, San Antonio, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago also held open auditions (along with judges' auditions from March to May). [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Prior to production beginning, Sharon Osbourne became involved in a dispute with NBC, following the conclusion of the seventh season. Due to the treatment of her son in another of the network's programs, the dispute fundamentally culminated in her departing from the show. [8]
Initially, executive producer Simon Cowell had wanted Carmen Electra to replace Osbourne on the program, [9] but the decision was made to find someone else and expand the judging panel to incorporate four judges. [10] This format change was first introduced on the sixth season of Britain's Got Talent . Singer Mel B was revealed as Osbourne's replacement, which was announced on February 20, 2013. On March 3, supermodel Heidi Klum was revealed as the fourth judge. [11] During filming, Howie Mandel was absent on the first day of auditions in Los Angeles for personal reasons.
Following the previous season, some changes were made for the live rounds. After moving to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in season seven to accommodate new judge Howard Stern, it was announced that the live shows would be presented from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. [12] Both the YouTube and Wildcard quarter-finals were dropped from the schedule, and replaced with a standard fifth quarter-final round, with the Wildcard format adjusted. Judges could only select one eliminated quarter-finalist each as their Wildcard act, but their choice would be granted an automatic place in the semi-finals as a result. Additionally, any participant who reached the grand-final stage of the competition would be required to conduct two different performances, although the second routine would be done with a guest performer to accompany the style of their act. For example, a singer's second performance would have the potential of involving another singer to sing a duet with them.
Of the participants who auditioned for this season, sixty secured a place in the live quarter-finals, with twelve quarter-finalists in each one. About twenty of these advanced and were split between the two semi-finals, including three quarter-finalists chosen as Wildcard acts, along with the last-minute addition that had previously withdrew before the live rounds. Twelve semi-finalists secured a place in the finals, and six finalists secured a place in the grand-final. The following below lists the results of each participant's overall performance in this season:
Participant | Genre | Act | Quarter-Final | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2Unique | Music | Rapper and DJ | 5 | Eliminated |
3Penny Chorus & Orchestra | Music | Orchestra | 4 | Eliminated |
Aaralyn & Izzy | Singing / Music | Singer and Drummer | 1 | Eliminated |
Aerial Ice | Acrobatics | Ice Skating Group | 4 | Eliminated |
AeroSphere Aerial Balloon Show | Acrobatics | Aerialist | 3 | Eliminated |
Alexandr Magala | Danger | Sword Swallower | 2 | Eliminated |
Alexandria the Great | Danger | Escape Artist | 1 | Eliminated |
American Hitmen | Music | Band | 1 | Eliminated |
American Military Spouses Choir | Singing | Choir | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Angela Hoover | Comedy | Impressionist | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Anna Christine | Singing | Singer | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Aquanuts | Variety | Synchronized Swimmers | 2 | Eliminated |
Brad Byers | Danger | Sideshow Performer | 2 | Eliminated |
Branden James | Singing | Opera Singer | 1 | Finalist |
Brandon & Savannah | Music | Band | 3 | Eliminated |
Cami Bradley | Singing / Music | Singer | 4 | Grand-finalist |
Catapult Entertainment | Dance | Shadow Dance Group | 5 | Finalist |
Champions Forever | Variety | Unicycle Group | 4 | Eliminated |
Chicago Boyz | Acrobatics | Acrobatic Group | 3 | Finalist |
Chloe Channell | Singing | Singer | 4 | Eliminated |
Ciana Pelekai | Singing | Singer | 2 | Eliminated |
Collins Key | Magic | Magician | 1 | Grand-finalist |
D'Angelo & Amanda | Dance | Ballroom Duo | 5 | Finalist |
Dave Fenley | Singing / Music | Singer & Guitarist | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Dave Shirley | Comedy | Comedian | 2 | Eliminated |
David "The Cobra Kid" Weathers | Animals | Snake Handler | 3 | Eliminated |
David Ferman | Variety | Juggler | 4 | Eliminated |
Deanna DellaCioppa | Singing | Singer | 3 | Eliminated |
Duo Resonance ![]() | Acrobatics | Acrobat Duo | 5 | Eliminated |
Forte | Singing | Opera Trio | 2 | Grand-finalist |
Fresh Faces | Dance | Dance Group | 1 | Eliminated |
Hype | Dance | Dance Group | 1 | Eliminated |
Innovative Force | Acrobatics | Acrobatic Group | 2 | Finalist |
Jim Meskimen | Comedy | Impressionist | 3 | Eliminated |
Jimmy Rose | Singing / Music | Singer & Guitarist | 4 | Third place |
John Wing | Comedy | Comedian | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Jonathan Allen | Singing | Opera Singer | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Kelsey and Bailey | Animals | Dog Act | 3 | Eliminated |
Kenichi Ebina | Dance | Dancer | 3 | Winner |
Kevin Downey Jr. | Comedy | Comedian | 1 | Eliminated |
Kid the Wiz | Dance | Dancer | 2 | Eliminated |
KriStef Brothers | Acrobatics | Acrobatic Duo | 1 | Finalist |
Leon Etienne & Romy Low ![]() | Magic | Magicians | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Marty Brown | Singing / Music | Singer & Guitarist | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Melody Caballero 1 | Acrobatics | Contortionist | 5 | Eliminated |
Mitsi Dancing School | Dance | Dance Group | 3 | Eliminated |
Red Panda ![]() | Acrobatics | Acrobat | — 1 | Semi-finalist |
Ruby & Jonas | Dance | Ballroom Duo | 5 | Eliminated |
Sam Johnson | Danger | Daredevil | 5 | Eliminated |
Selena Mykenzie Gordon | Singing | Singer | 5 | Eliminated |
SensEtion | Dance | Dance Group | 4 | Eliminated |
Special Head | Variety | Novelty Act | 1 | Eliminated |
Sprice | Variety | Kinetic Artist | 5 | Eliminated |
Struck Boyz | Dance | Dance Group | 2 | Eliminated |
Taylor Williamson | Comedy | Comedian | 4 | Runner-up |
Tellavision | Dance | Dance Group | 1 | Eliminated |
The Robotix | Music | Band | 4 | Eliminated |
Timber Brown | Acrobatics | Acrobat | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Tone the Chiefrocca ![]() | Singing | Rapper | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Tummy Talk | Music | Body Drummers | 4 | Eliminated |
Virginia State University Gospel Chorale | Singing | Gospel Choir | 5 | Eliminated |
Guest Performers, Results Show: The Rockettes, Labrinth, and Emeli Sandé
Guest Performers, Results Show: Robin Thicke, Brad Paisley
Quarter-Finalist | Order | Buzzes and Judges' votes | Result (July 31) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mandel | Mel B | Klum | Stern | |||
Innovative Force | 1 | Advanced | ||||
Ciana Pelekai | 2 | Eliminated | ||||
Alexandr Magala | 3 | Eliminated | ||||
Struck Boyz | 4 | Eliminated | ||||
Brad Byers | 5 | Eliminated | ||||
Kid the Wiz | 6 | Eliminated | ||||
Forte | 7 | Advanced | ||||
Angela Hoover | 8 | ![]() | ![]() | Advanced (Judges' Vote Tied - Won by Public Vote) | ||
Dave Shirley | 9 | Eliminated | ||||
Marty Brown | 10 | Advanced | ||||
Aquanuts 2 | 11 | Eliminated | ||||
Tone the Chiefrocca 3 | 12 | ![]() | ![]() | Eliminated (Tied on Judges' Vote - Lost by Public Vote) |
Guest Performers, Results Show: Marion Ross, and Jason Derulo
Quarter-Finalist | Order | Buzzes and Judges' votes | Result (August 7) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mandel | Mel B | Klum | Stern | |||
AeroSphere Aerial Balloon Show | 1 | Eliminated | ||||
Chicago Boyz | 2 | ![]() | ![]() | 4 | ![]() | Advanced (Won Judges' Vote) |
Mitsi Dancing School | 3 | 4 | Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote) | |||
Kelsey and Bailey | 4 | Eliminated | ||||
Brandon & Savannah | 5 | Eliminated | ||||
Leon Etienne & Romy Low 5 | 6 | ![]() | Eliminated | |||
Deanna DellaCioppa | 7 | Eliminated | ||||
David "The Cobra Kid" Weathers | 8 | Eliminated | ||||
Jonathan Allen | 9 | Advanced | ||||
Kenichi Ebina | 10 | Advanced | ||||
Jim Meskimen | 11 | Eliminated | ||||
American Military Spouses Choir | 12 | Advanced |
Guest Performers, Results Show: Backstreet Boys
Guest Performers, Results Show: Tom Cotter, Train, and Ashley Monroe
Quarter-Finalist | Order | Buzzes and Judges' votes | Result (August 21) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mandel | Mel B | Klum | Stern | |||
Virginia State University Gospel Chorale | 1 | Eliminated | ||||
Melody Caballero | 2 | Eliminated | ||||
Dave Fenley | 3 | Advanced | ||||
2Unique | 4 | Eliminated | ||||
Sam Johnson 6 | 5 | Eliminated | ||||
Duo Resonance 7 | 6 | ![]() | Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote) | |||
D'Angelo & Amanda | 7 | Advanced | ||||
Selena Mykenzie Gordon | 8 | Eliminated | ||||
John Wing | 9 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | Advanced (Won Judges' Vote) | |
Sprice | 10 | Eliminated | ||||
Ruby & Jonas | 11 | Eliminated | ||||
Catapult Entertainment | 12 | Advanced |
Guest Performers, Results Show: One Direction, and Cassadee Pope
Semi-Finalist | Order | Buzzes and Judges' votes | Result (August 28) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mandel | Mel B | Klum | Stern | |||
Tone the Chiefrocca | 1 | ![]() | Eliminated | |||
Red Panda | 2 | Eliminated | ||||
Angela Hoover | 3 | Eliminated | ||||
Duo Resonance | 4 | Eliminated | ||||
Collins Key | 5 | Advanced | ||||
Innovative Force | 6 | Advanced | ||||
Dave Fenley | 7 | ![]() | Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote) | |||
Taylor Williamson | 8 | Advanced | ||||
Jonathan Allen | 9 | Eliminated | ||||
Catapult Entertainment | 10 | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | Advanced (Won Judges' Vote) | |
Cami Bradley | 11 | Advanced | ||||
Forte | 12 | Advanced |
Guest Performers, Results Show: Fall Out Boy, and Team iLuminate
Semi-Finalist | Order | Buzzes and Judges' votes | Result (September 4) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mandel | Mel B | Klum | Stern | |||
D'Angelo & Amanda | 1 | ![]() | ![]() | Advanced (Judges' Vote Tied - Won by Public Vote) | ||
Marty Brown | 2 | Eliminated | ||||
Chicago Boyz | 3 | Advanced | ||||
Leon Etienne and Romy Low | 4 | Eliminated | ||||
Anna Christine | 5 | ![]() | ![]() | Eliminated (Judges' Vote Tied - Lost by Public Vote) | ||
Kenichi Ebina | 6 | Advanced | ||||
John Wing | 7 | Eliminated | ||||
Branden James | 8 | Advanced | ||||
KriStef Brothers 8 | 9 | Advanced | ||||
American Military Spouses Choir | 10 | Eliminated | ||||
Timber Brown | 11 | Eliminated | ||||
Jimmy Rose | 12 | Advanced |
Guest Performers, Results Show: Terry Fator, and Olate Dogs
Top 12 Finalist | Order | Result (September 11) |
---|---|---|
Chicago Boyz | 1 | Eliminated |
Branden James | 2 | Eliminated |
Innovative Force | 3 | Eliminated |
KriStef Brothers | 4 | Eliminated |
D'Angelo & Amanda | 5 | Eliminated |
Catapult Entertainment | 6 | Eliminated |
Forte | 7 | Advanced |
Taylor Williamson | 8 | Advanced |
Collins Key | 9 | Advanced |
Kenichi Ebina | 10 | Advanced |
Jimmy Rose | 11 | Advanced |
Cami Bradley | 12 | Advanced |
Guest Performers, Results Show: The Rockettes, Icona Pop, Earth, Wind & Fire, Luke Bryan
Grand-finalist | Performed with (2nd Performance) | Result (September 18) |
---|---|---|
Cami Bradley | Gavin DeGraw | 6th |
Collins Key | Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb | 5th |
Forte | Josh Groban | 4th |
Jimmy Rose | Dierks Bentley | 3rd |
Kenichi Ebina | Il Divo with Heather Headley | 1st |
Taylor Williamson | James Lipton | 2nd |
The following ratings are based upon those published by Nielsen Media Research after this season's broadcast:
Show | Episode | First air date | Rating (18–49) | Share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | Time slot rank | Nightly rank | Weekly rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Auditions Episode 1: San Antonio, New York, & Los Angeles | June 4, 2013 | 3.1 | 9 | 11.22 [14] | 1 | 1 | 5 [15] |
2 | Auditions Episode 2: San Antonio & New Orleans | June 11, 2013 | 3.0 | 8 | 11.52 [16] | 2 | 2 | 5 [17] |
3 | Auditions Episode 3: Chicago | June 18, 2013 | 3.0 | 9 | 11.75 [18] | 1 | 3 | 5 [19] |
4 | Auditions Episode 4: New York & Los Angeles | June 25, 2013 | 2.6 | 8 | 10.23 [20] | 1 | 1 | 2 [21] |
5 | Auditions Episode 5: Chicago & San Antonio | July 2, 2013 | 2.4 | 7 | 9.56 [22] | 1 | 1 | 2 [23] |
6 | Auditions Episode 6: Los Angeles, New Orleans, & New York | July 9, 2013 | 2.6 | 8 | 9.81 [24] | 1 | 1 | 3 [25] |
7 | Auditions Episode 7: Last Chance Auditions | July 10, 2013 | 2.8 | 8 | 10.71 [26] | 1 | 1 | 1 [25] |
8 | Vegas Week, day 1 | July 16, 2013 | 2.5 | 7 | 10.06 [27] | 2 | 2 | 4 [28] |
9 | Vegas Week, day 2 | July 17, 2013 | 2.9 | 9 | 11.18 [29] | 1 | 1 | 2 [28] |
10 | Quarterfinals Week 1, Performances | July 23, 2013 | 2.8 | 8 | 10.34 [30] | 1 | 1 | 1 [31] |
11 | Quarterfinals Week 1, Results | July 24, 2013 | 2.3 | 7 | 10.64 [32] | 1 | 1 | 5 [31] |
12 | Quarterfinals Week 2, Performances | July 30, 2013 | 2.7 | 8 | 9.81 [33] | 1 | 1 | 4 [34] |
13 | Quarterfinals Week 2, Results | July 31, 2013 | 2.4 | 7 | 10.28 [35] | 1 | 1 | 6 [34] |
14 | Quarterfinals Week 3, Performances | August 6, 2013 | 2.5 | 7 | 9.39 [36] | 1 | 1 | 4 [37] |
15 | Quarterfinals Week 3, Results | August 7, 2013 | 2.5 | 8 | 10.26 [38] | 1 | 1 | 3 [37] |
16 | Quarterfinals Week 4, Performances | August 13, 2013 | 2.4 | 7 | 8.79 [39] | 1 | 1 | 1 [40] |
17 | Quarterfinals Week 4, Results | August 14, 2013 | 2.1 | 6 | 9.51 [41] | 2 | 2 | 5 [40] |
18 | Quarterfinals Week 5, Performances | August 20, 2013 | 2.2 | 6 | 8.52 [42] | 1 | 1 | 6 [43] |
19 | Quarterfinals Week 5, Results | August 21, 2013 | 2.1 | 6 | 9.35 [44] | 2 | 3 | 9 [43] |
20 | Semifinals Round 1, Performances | August 27, 2013 | 2.2 | 6 | 8.70 [45] | 1 | 1 | 4 [46] |
21 | Semifinals Round 1, Results | August 28, 2013 | 2.2 | 6 | 9.84 [47] | 2 | 2 | 5 [46] |
22 | Semifinals Round 2, Performances | September 3, 2013 | 2.3 | 7 | 9.16 [48] | 1 | 1 | 12 [49] |
23 | Semifinals Round 2, Results | September 4, 2013 | 2.3 | 7 | 10.03 [50] | 1 | 1 | 13 [49] |
24 | Top 12, Performances | September 10, 2013 | 2.3 | 6 | 9.24 [51] | 1 | 1 | 8 [52] |
25 | Top 12, Results | September 11, 2013 | 2.2 | 6 | 10.80 [53] | 2 | 3 | 13 [52] |
26 | Finals, Performances | September 17, 2013 | 2.4 | 7 | 11.19 [54] | 2 | 3 | 14 [55] |
27 | Finale | September 18, 2013 | 2.5 | 7 | 11.49 [56] | 1 | 2 | 12 [55] |
Recap Episodes
Show | Episode | First air date | Rating (18–49) | Share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | Time slot rank | Nightly rank | Weekly rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Auditions Recap | July 17, 2013 | 1.9 | 7 | 7.65 [29] | 1 | 2 | 15 [28] |
2 | Quarterfinals Week 1, Recap | July 24, 2013 | 1.6 | 5 | 6.65 [32] | 1 | 2 | n/a a [31] |
3 | Quarterfinals Week 2, Recap | July 31, 2013 | 1.5 | 5 | 6.54 [35] | 1 | 2 | n/a a [34] |
4 | Quarterfinals Week 3, Recap | August 7, 2013 | 1.5 | 5 | 6.35 [38] | 2 | 3 | 16 [37] |
5 | Quarterfinals Week 4, Recap | August 14, 2013 | 1.3 | 5 | 5.75 [41] | 2 | 3 | n/a a [40] |
6 | Quarterfinals Week 5, Recap | August 21, 2013 | 1.3 | 4 | 5.87 [44] | 2 | 3 | n/a a [43] |
7 | Semifinals Week 1, Recap | August 28, 2013 | 1.3 | 5 | 5.96 [47] | 2 | 4 | n/a a [46] |
8 | Semifinals Week 2, Recap | September 4, 2013 | 1.4 | 5 | 6.16 [50] | 2 | 3 | n/a a [49] |
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