The latest champion of America's Got Talent is none other than card magician Shin Lim, who blew minds and confounded viewers all season with his sleight-of-hand tricks. The final batch of contestants was comprised of some very different acts, and it was difficult to predict who would make it to the top five and who would be cut early. It finally came down to Shin Lim and dance troupe Zurcaroh, and Shin Lim ultimately won the top prize of $1 million and a Las Vegas stage show. Lim spoke with CinemaBlend after winning America's Got Talent, and he had this to say about the most memorable moments from his big night:
Two. Obviously when Tyra called out my name, and I was like, 'What?' And then being lifted up by Zurcaroh. That was kind of beautiful. I just felt like, just for a moment, I was like in heaven or something. Pretty crazy.
When Tyra Banks finally announced Shin Lim as the winner after almost a full two hours of the results show, Zurcaroh didn't wallow in disappointment while Lim celebrated. No, the dancers of Zurcaroh swept Lim off his feet and guaranteed that winning felt like heaven on stage. Coming in second was still a massive accomplishment for the group, and their immediate reaction to lift Lim made the moment feel all the more heartwarming.
In a fun twist, Shin Lim also revealed in our chat that he's a fan of Zurcaroh. When voting opened up in the last stages of competition, Lim didn't just vote for himself. He also used some of his votes for Zurcaroh, as well as the sibling band We Three, who made it almost all the way to the finals.
For fans, the most memorable part of Shin Lim's run may have been his mind-blowing final act that saw him up the ante on both spectacle and showmanship. After criticism from judge Simon Cowell that his previous performances were lacking in showmanship, Lim went above and beyond for the finale performance that had to convince voters to support him as the Season 13 champion. Lim revealed that the finale act was actually quite risky for some big reasons, and he also shared that it was his favorite performance. Here's how he put it:
The finale performance was, I don't think it was my best, I think my best one was definitely semi-finals because that one's the most well-rehearsed, I've done that act forever. But the finale act was special to me because it was the first time I've gone way out of my comfort zone, for the finale on the grandest show ever, for the most-viewed TV show of all time. And doing a new act that's seven days old. I was way more stressed than I needed to be.
Unlike previous performances in rounds of America's Got Talent competition, the finale act was one that Shin Lim hadn't performed over and over again. In fact, the only people who had experienced the act prior to when Lim hit the stage and showed off his sleight-of-hand skills on live television were the folks who were helping him get it ready. Given that Shin Lim was the winner of America's Got Talent, it's safe to say that Simon Cowell's advice to Lim that he should work on his showmanship resulted in an act that clinched a huge prize for him.
America's Got Talent may be done for Season 13, but that doesn't mean the end of your opportunities to see Shin Lim in action. He'll headline the America's Got Talent Live stage show in Las Vegas at the Paris Theater, with performances from November 2-4. The show will also feature performances from Lin's competitors, including comedians Vicki Barbolak and Samuel J. Comroe, violinist extraordinaire Brian King Joseph, gravity-defying acrobat pair Duo Transcend, and young powerhouse singer Courtney Hadwin. Auditions for the next season of AGT are currently underway, and interested acts can register at www.AGTAuditions.com.
