The summer network TV lineup just wouldn't feel right without a new season of America's Got Talent, and the episodes of Season 19 so far have introduced some strong contenders for the grand prize of $1 million. One of those contenders is Dee Dee Simon, who wowed the live audience as well as the famous judges and host Terry Crews with her take on an iconic Dreamgirls song. She spoke with CinemaBlend about going "out with a bang" in the latest episode, and went on to break down the experience of a multi-talent show against more than just fellow singers.
Dee Dee Simon's debut episode of AGT (currently available streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription) also delivered standout acts by performers including biker Andrei Burton, Roni Sagi and her dog Rhythm, and quick change magician Solange Kardinaly. Basically, AGT certainly isn't The Voice or American Idol where Simon's competition would be only other singers! When I asked the prison nurse-turned-singer about her experience on a show with such diverse kinds of competition, she shared:
It's difficult because it depends on what the people want at the times. You never know what America wants. You never know what America is going to want this year. I said 'Well, I liked the dog!' [laughs] That dog was amazing. I was like, 'No, come on, guys, stop hating. If it was good, it was good. We got to stay focused, let's stay focused.' So it's just all different types of talent, and I think it's entertaining actually.
The singer – whose take on "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls earned her a standing ovation – was referring to Adrian Stoica and Hurricane, the human/dog act that won the top prize in AGT Season 18 despite America's Got Talent champions often winning a golden buzzer first. While I enjoyed the surprise of their victory, even Simon Cowell admitted that not everybody was happy about the result. He along with fellow judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara all seemed surprised when the winner was announced last year.
Now that we're in the 2024 TV schedule and after seeing all the reactions to Dee Dee Simon and her Dreamgirls showstopper, could Season 19 see a singer once more winning AGT? Only time will tell, but the singer shared her take on whether she's more confident after her initial success on the show:
Of course not! I don't see it how they see it. 'Oh, you got this! You got this.' I don't believe in those lines. I believe in enjoying where I'm at and looking at everybody's weaknesses. [laughs] That's it. Everyone is so talented, I have to say. But no, I don't feel confident. I never want to be confident or comfortable.
In case you missed the most recent episode of AGT or just want to revisit the performance with the show taking a brief break this week, check out the performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dee Dee Simon:
Of course, the AGT judges and eventually fans voting from home are always looking for performers to outdo their previous performances and raise the bar. Does Dee Dee Simon have ideas for what she'd do next upon a return to the America's Got Talent stage? She answered that very question, saying:
Oh, yes. I'm looking at my competition as far as the vocalists go, and I know that they looked and saw what I did. So I'm already kind of understanding which route they're gonna go… I got two songs. I don't know if I'm going back, when they decide who goes back, but I'm gonna be ready and I'm taking it to another level. I'm gonna take it to another level. It's hard because I did the hardest song in America.
Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 19. The show is taking a week off on June 18 so the network can air the swimming trials for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but Simon Cowell and the rest of the judges will be back on June 25.
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