Spoilers ahead for the August 10 episode of America's Got Talent on NBC!
Season 16 of America's Got Talent has officially moved into the quarterfinals stage of competition, which means that the fates of the competitors now lie in the hands of voters. The twelve performers who hit the stage on August 10 also faced the challenge of performing live for the first time in Season 16, but they all rose to the occasion, including – and perhaps especially – 10-year-old Peter Rosalita, who belted Whitney Houston for audiences. And according to Rosalita, he already has plans for the next diva he wants to cover!
10-year-old Filipino singer Peter Rosalita took the AGT stage for a rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing," which isn't a song that every singer could do justice to. But Rosalita certainly made it his own, and possibly guaranteed himself a spot in the next round of America's Got Talent competition! Take a look:
Not only did Peter Rosalita crush Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" in his AGT quarterfinals performance, but he did it looking snazzy as heck in his silver suit, and even the flurry of butterfly confetti that fell on and around him at the climax didn't stop him from hitting his notes. If only we could all be so talented at the ripe old age of 10! Throw in the ear-to-ear smile on his face, and I'd give him an honorary golden buzzer if I could, just for fun. Way to go, Peter Rosalita!
The judges and audience clearly shared the sentiment, as pretty much everybody was on their feet for a standing ovation once Peter Rosalita sang his final note of the Whitney Houston song. Heidi Klum commended him on his dapper look and said that he did Houston proud, Sofia Vergara said that she still can't believe that such a voice could come out of such a tiny person, and Simon Cowell praised him for being "gutsy" and even said that he thinks Rosalita will "sail through to the next round."
That said, Simon Cowell also suggested that Peter Rosalita's next song choice shouldn't be one that feels like his mom chose for him. Cowell had nothing but good things to say about the performance, but wants something younger next time. Rosalita spoke with CinemaBlend and other press outlets following the first quarterfinals episode of AGT Season 16, and he shared whether it really was his mom who picked the song, and what diva's music he wants to sing next:
She didn't pick [the song]. All my family did. My mother, my aunt, my father, everyone in our house. And I really want to sing Celine Dion.
For most other performers, I might think that going from Whitney Houston to Celine Dion is awfully optimistic, but based on Peter Rosalita's performances so far, I think he could nail Dion's music as well as he did Houston's. He even shared the song he wants to do from Dion's catalogue: "To Love You More." I'm not sure what Simon Cowell would say to that choice, since it doesn't really qualify as a "younger" song choice, but there can be little doubt that Rosalita would nail it, and maybe even go on to become the next America's Got Talent champion.
But first, Peter Rosalita needs to advance to the next stage of competition if he's going to perform again on AGT! If you want to vote for Rosalita (or any of his competitors) to advance one stage closer to the $1 million prize, you can cast your vote online here or via the AGT app. Voting remains open until 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday, August 11, with the results episode to air on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. The results episode will also bring back Season 15 champion Brandon Leake to perform, who has promised something "very different" to send a message to haters.
