Simon Cowell and his fellow America's Got Talent judges are on the search for the most unique and noteworthy entertainers out there. After watching tons of hopefuls turn out for weeks worth of auditions, frayed nerves can be a factor. For instance, musician Lamont Landers was trying out with Al Green's classic “Let’s Stay Together” when Cowell interrupted with an overtly frank judgment. Watch the America’s Got Talent moment below, which gets awkward at the 2:02 mark:
Simon Cowell is known for not holding back on what he thinks, of course, so it wasn't so much of a surprise that this audition was no exception to that rule. As seen in the video, Cowell’s issue was that Lamont Landers was playing it far too safe for a TV talent audition. The former American Idol judge wanted Landers to make a selection outside of the wedding genre, and challenged him to put more thought into it before coming back in.
That might have been mortifying enough to send some hopefuls running for the comfort of "anywhere but back in front of Simon Cowell." However, the America’s Got Talent video description of the video states that Lamont Landers learned his new song in “under 30 minutes” in order to take a second stab at it.
Under that intense pressure, Landers returned to the stage to perform Calum Scott’s “Dancing on My Own.” But anyone who thought the awkwardness was over was in for another rude awakening.
Simon Cowell interrupted Lamont Landers’ second attempt, as well, saying he wanted Landers to relax. How does one do that when they are in such an already uncomfortable situation where their second audition is also getting interrupted? It's like being told "Don't think about elephants," and then all you can think about is elephants.
It happened, though. Lamont Landers very much wanted to prove that he had the talent to make it to the official competition, and the 27-year-old musician persevered. The America’s Got Talent audience was visibly shaken by what occurred. If I was there, my heart would have probably been beating a little harder than usual due to how tense things were. It was rough to watch even from a screen.
Thanks to Simon Cowell’s tweaks, and Landers' heeding of that coaching, the contestant was able to complete an audition that actually got a standing ovation. And yes, Cowell was among those who rose to their feet. It was a sight few watching probably could have foreseen when Landers' second attempt began, but nevertheless, that is how it ended.
All of the judges gave Lamont Landers a “yes” vote, so he is definitely moving forward in the competition. Simon Cowell clearly sees something in Landers. Why else give him so many opportunities? The rest of the judges had already seemed to be pretty stoked by Landers’ initial audition, though Howie Mandel revealed that the improvements Landers made had a significant impact and showed marked improvement.
America’s Got Talent viewers will have to stay tuned to see how Lamont Landers’ journey continues following his challenging audition. It is only up from here? The season has been filled with excitement. From dance routines to shadow acts and amazing beatboxers, there has been no shortage of out-there talents. As well as memorable golden buzzer moments. Joseph Allen, who earned an America’s Got Talent golden buzzer shared the shocker that helped him with his performance.
See if any other dramatic moments involving Simon Cowell occur when new episodes of America's Got Talent air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. It is the series among those airing new this summer.
