America's Got Talent is deep into its semifinals now, and the days of Caterpillar Man and the Human Fountains seem long past as the best of the best performers hit the stage. Some of the acts that are still in the running are energetic to the point that it's exhausting to watch while others are so dangerous that you're on the edge of your seat. In the case of the latest semifinals episode, one singer went out on a limb with a cover of Aretha Franklin's "A Natural Woman," and she earned herself a standing ovation from the crowd and even a judge. Take a look at Christina Wells' powerhouse performance!
Christina Wells' performance of "A Natural Woman" comes shortly after Aretha Franklin passed away at the age of 76, and it's hardly the first tribute to the legendary singer in the days since her death. Ariana Grande's tribute was emotional and powerful on The Tonight Show while Madonna's tribute at the VMA's sparked backlash. It's too soon to say about how Wells' tribute will be received en masse, but I can't see it sparking any fury. Who can watch that performance and not be at least a little bit wowed at the power she channels in one of Franklin's most well-known songs?
Unfortunately, Heidi Klum was the only one of the judges who felt compelled to join in the audience's enthusiastic standing ovation, but the other judges clearly appreciated her talent. Although Simon Cowell went on to opine that her performance started out rather subpar, he did qualify the complaint by saying that she warmed up to an epic ending. Honestly, if America's Got Talent votes were tallied based on audience reaction, Christina Wells would have been guaranteed an advance to the finals right off the bat.
Besides, the judges' opinions are all subjective. Howie Mandel's golden buzzer pick was set to perform at the end of the night, and Mel B recently showed approval for an incredible cover of a Spice Girls song. This rendition of "A Natural Woman" was simply more up Heidi's alley than the other judges; given that some of the other singers didn't exactly deliver their best performances in this episode, I'd say the odds of Christina Wells making it to the finals are quite good. At least Simon can rest easy tonight knowing that he didn't almost lose a hand due to an act!
To vote for Christina Wells or any of the other competitors, head over to NBC's official America's Got Talent voting page. Alternately, you can vote via the official app, the toll-free number (1-866-602-48XX, with the final two digits as the performance order number), or an Xfinity X1 set-top box. Tune in to NBC on September 12 at 8 p.m. ET for the results show that reveal whether or not Christina Wells will move on to the next round of competition in the fall lineup.
