Cher Lloyd

Despite the limited success in showcasing true talent on AGT this season, Tuesday night was obviously the best performance night in the quarterfinal rounds. It’s a great thing that America got to see some talent, but it’s a problem when it happens so rarely on a show called America’s Got Talent.

The first result was between Ulysses, Olate Dogs, and David “The Bullet” Smith. While Smith and Olate Dogs have genuine skill, Ulysses is nothing special because most people who have heard television theme songs are able to badly mimic them. His act has never been worthy of a live performance. As for Smith, a human cannonball act may be scary and dangerous, but it is not suitable for Vegas. Out of the three acts, Olate Dogs advanced to the semifinals, which they deserved. These dogs are truly unique and their trainers work extremely hard to get them to a level far above other animal acts.

After the first result was a performance by teen pop artist Cher Lloyd. It was not so much a song as it was a rant by a whiny teenage girl with relationship troubles. In a way, this is a good thing. For the first time in a while, the contestants are better than the professional acts.

The next result was between “Earth Harpist” William Close and two other acts that cannot compare to him: Unity in Motion and Sebastian de la Cruz. This isn’t to say that they aren’t good, because Unity in Motion and de la Cruz are good. Close is just a lot better. He advanced and will probably win the competition. Close is also extremely polite, eloquent, and exhibits professionalism and composure, which are not usually seen on America’s Got Talent.

The third result was between Horse, Joe Castillo, and Eric and Olivia.  Horse is easy to hate and very polarizing. Eric and Olivia are talented, but they are also a very safe and unexciting music act that would not succeed nationally. As Howie said, they’re probably best suited for a coffeehouse. Joe Castillo’s talent is unconventional, but it’s probably too intimate to be a Vegas act. Even so, Castillo advanced to the semifinals.

Next was a performance of “Falling Slowly” by the cast of the Broadway musical Once. It was a beautiful performance and the cast deserves all the exposure it can get.

Lindsey Norton, All That!, and Eric Dittelmann were the three acts left. It was an extremely close vote, so the judges could not really make a mistake. Norton got eliminated first. She’s a talented ballroom dancer, but she still belongs in the ballroom. Dittelmann is most deserving of another shot at the national stage, which is surprising considering how small his act seemed at the beginning. He advanced and will most likely continue to impress America in the semifinals. In the judges choice, Dittelmann won in a split decision. As expected, Sharon asked for All That! to be a wildcard pick. America’s Got Talent returns in three weeks after the Olympics and it is finally starting to show some promise.