America's Got Talent Season 19 is still in early stages, and the talent pool is already so stacked that it doesn't feel like there are enough golden buzzers to go around despite the extras this season. Dee Dee Simon was certainly a standout in the latest episode, as the registered nurse proved that she's also an incredible singer with her performance of what Simon Cowell described as "one of the hardest songs in the world," straight out of Dreamgirls. The singer – who works at a state prison – spoke with CinemaBlend the day after her AGT debut about her experience and the kinds of support she's gotten so far.
Dee Dee Simon's performance of the iconic "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls was saved for last in the episode that aired on June 11 (and is now streaming via Peacock Premium subscription), and it was easy to see why by the end. She channeled strong emotions into the performance, including kicking off her high heels in a move that she confirmed to CinemaBlend was spontaneous. While it was a climactic way to end the episode for viewers, what was it like for her to wait almost two full hours to see her performance? I asked the singer that very question, and she shared:
We were having a watch party at one of our historical clubs in Oakland, and we were waiting and eating and waiting and eating, and they were like, 'When you going?' and I said, 'I keep telling you guys, I don't know! I know when you know.' [laughs] So we did not know and we just waited and got anxious, but every time my face would splash across the screen, it'd go in an uproar in there. It was nice. It was nice being last because I went out with a bang!
Considering that Dee Dee Simon filmed her performance all the way back in April, can anybody blame her for feeling a little anxious as the wait went on to watch her take on the song made unforgettable originally by Jennifer Holiday and then again by Jennifer Hudson in the film adaptation? Fortunately, as Simon said – she "went out with a bang" in the AGT episode.
Of course, Dee Dee Simon brought an interesting story to AGT. She informed the judges that she's a registered nurse and has been working at San Quentin State Prison for 19 years, telling the story of how a riot broke out the first time she sang there. There was "peace" the second time, and she shared that nobody at work knew she was auditioning for AGT. She definitely heard from plenty of people after the episode aired, as she shared:
I did not have a break at work today! I went to work today. They assumed that I wasn't going to show up at work after they all saw it, and I said, 'Oh no, you're not supposed to play hooky when they know that you're not sick!' [laughs] So I went to work, and all of the inmates, they're just walking by. 'Oh, Simon!' Some came in and took their shoes off. I'm like, 'Oh my God, guys.' I said, 'How was it last night?' And they said, 'It was like we were watching the Super Bowl. It was like watching the Super Bowl. Everybody was yelling in the hall.' And it's about 700 guys in that unit, and I had all the units coming up telling me. I think we got 3400 inmates. They were just telling me, 'We can't wait,' because I think it comes on again on Sunday.
Apparently, Dee Dee Simon had a pretty exciting day back at her regular job after not playing hooky in the wake of her AGT success! When I noted that most contestants won't have that very specific kind of prison-based support, the singer commented:
I've been getting emails all day from other prisons. All day from other prisons, everybody. They're just like, 'We're over here rooting for you.' They're sharing the video. I mean, everything. It's crazy. Some people are coming to see me from other institutions because they want to meet me. When Simon [Cowell] said that tomorrow, my life will be better, he did not lie. [laughs] That was golden. That was a golden moment.
While Dee Dee Simon received an outpouring of support from prison coworkers, viewers saw in the episode on Tuesday night that her mom was in the audience rooting hard for her daughter...and singing along. There was more to the story than what the episode revealed, however, as the performer opened up about her mom being there for her:
It meant a lot to me. My mom has dementia, so she knows all the songs because she sings them with me every night. But to have her there, it was just amazing because I take her to all my performances that I can. But my family was able to come and just support me and be there with me and make sure that she was cool. It was just an amazing experience to see her and just have a moment to talk to her, because I always say 'Mom, can you pray for me?' Because she does the best prayer still, no matter what. She remembers. She remembers how to pray.
The stars aligned for Dee Dee Simon with her AGT audition, ranging from having her family on hand to getting to sing a song that was important to her. When asked why she chose the high-stakes "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" when even Simon Cowell commented on how difficult it is to singer, she explained:
It's always been a song that I love, and I always wanted to do a Broadway musical and be Effie in the Broadway musical, so I've always just practiced that song and watched Jennifer Holliday go over that song. And I knew that it was a hard song, and I said, 'I gotta get in this competition with a hard song. If I can get through with the hardest song, then I'm mapping out the rest of the way.'
Choosing such a difficult song clearly did pay off, because it seems safe to say that she's going to crush whatever she performs next. Even if golden buzzer winners are often America's Got Talent champions, that's certainly not always the case. In case you missed it, check out Dee Dee Simon's Dreamgirls performance below:
The Season 19 auditions are still airing, so it may be some time before fans see Dee Dee Simon back on the AGT stage. For now, keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent, which is – as usual – a summer staple in the 2024 TV schedule. You can also find episodes streaming next day on Peacock.
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