SOFIA VERGARA: Yeah. ", She added at the time: "With so many bad things happening, it creates a tough skin. As well as his work as a performer, Brandon is also the founder of a youth organization Called to Move, which aids the development of young people through the art of poetry. We have to understand each other and be compassionate, have empathy for each other. "We are the storytellers of the generation, we are the griots of our time. SOFIA VERGARA: My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away. Just be you. Spoken word is the name given to poetry written to be performed, and Leake is the first ever performer of this genre to be featured on AGT. The NBC App is the best place to catch up on the most recent season of your favorite shows, watch live TV, and stream movies. He's a young man from Stockton who's transcending boundaries and breaking down barriers for generations to come. Year after year, \"America's Got Talent\" features an impressive array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying to win America's hearts and a $1 million prize.America's Got Talent is available now on Peacock, the new streaming service from NBCUniversal. Brandon has performed in locations such as New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and 36 U.S. states for his Dark Side Tour, which promotes his first-ever published poetry chapbook and his album Deficiencies: A Tale From My Dark Side, which is rooted in transparency and healing. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! Says Host Terry Crews, 'AGT' 's Simon Cowell Remembers Jane 'Nightbirde' Marczewski as 'Extraordinary Person' After Her Death, 'AGT' Star Nightbirde Dead at 31 After Cancer Battle: 'We Love You,' Says Terry Crews, 'AGT' Star Jane 'Nightbirde' Marczewski's Family Is 'Devastated by Her Passing': 'Unimaginable Loss', 'AGT' : Simon Cowell on Nightbirde's Success After Her Exit, His 'Amazing' Frontrunner to Win Season 16, 'AGT' : All Season 16 Finalists Announced as Competition Narrows Down Lineup to 10 Acts. Below, NBC Insider chats with Leake about his experience on AGT, where he writes his best poems, and more. Were you the first poet that producers had seen? To know that an art form that was so underground for so long got the public eye and took a win, that's more than any million-dollar prize could ever be.". Brandon won 'AGT' season 15 in September 2020, taking home $1 million prize money, a new Kia Stinger, and the chance to perform in Luxor Las Vegas. - America's Got Talent 2020https://youtu.be/SaPXcg7lLfgAmerica's Got Talenthttp://www.youtube.com/user/americasgottalent#AGT #AmericasGotTalent NBC Insider: How did you discover spoken-word poetry? Following his victory just a year before, Leake returned to theAGTstage for a special guest performance during Season 16. No music, no nothing. And sometimes it designs these alternate realities where she is still here, still alive, and all the things I wish we could have done are played again and again and again, Brandon continued, as his voice began to quaver. What an amazing tribute. Brandon Leake's Preliminary performance in Episode AS06 consisted of performing a spoken word poem about a homeless man he met on the street with a moral of not judging a book by its cover. On the night he'd be crowned the winner ofSeason 15, Leake performed a brief, light-hearted spoken word poem aboutAGT. It's the time that I don't have anybody pulling on me. Brandon had explained that he had a fourteen-day old daughter and a sister whom he loved very much. You are so amazing. I know what this is. Information The last 11 acts to compete for a spot in the semi-finals were roaster Alex Hooper, hand-balancing siblings Bello Sisters, spoken word artist (and Mandel's Golden Buzzer winner) Brandon Leake, singers Broken Roots, cheerleaders C.A. He went on to study at Simpson University in Redding, where as well as writing poetry, he played basketball onSimpson'sNCAA Division II team. 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I just want to compliment you on what you just did because it was extraordinary. Although the audience was missing, the talent was not. Opera Singer Shocks 'America's Got Talent' Judges with Cline Dion, Ariana Grande Impressions, 'America's Got Talent' 's Heidi Klum Says 'I Might Poop Myself' from Nerves About Season 17, Howie Mandel Calls His Golden Buzzer Act the 'Most Surprising, Jaw-Dropping Moment' He's Seen on 'AGT', 'AGT' Season 17 Starts Production: 'I Could Not Be Any More Excited,' Heidi Klum Says See First Look, 'AGT: Extreme' Crowns Season 1 Champion: 'He Deserves This!' Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara all gave him standing ovations. I bring more about life-experience things that everyday people go through. And once Simon heard Brandon speak, he understood where Brandons childhood anger was coming from and, like Howie, he was totally convinced. Brandon's daughter was born just 14 days before hisAGTaudition. Very much she's here with me now, Brandon answered. Brandon's final performance was an emotional spoken word piece about his new-born daughter. He received enough votes to enter the Top 5 instead of Archie Williams. ET on NBC. Now I get the chance to be on the forefront and show the world what spoken-word can do. "And we won. The then 4-year-old adored being a big brother and couldn't wait for all the fun they'd have together. According to Parade, Rafael was fatally shot in an attempted kidnapping in 1998. It's just me and my thoughts. Relive all of Brandon's full performances from the season. Get The America's. It's my opportunity. Brandon posted on his Instagram after his AGT tribute to her: Love you booboo, I hope that gift will forever remain in your heart. And I'm like, Sweet, let's do this.. NBC Insider is your all-access pass to some of your favorite NBC shows. Watch thousands of hours of hit movies and shows, plus daily news, sports, and pop culture updates. There's something very, very special about you. First published on March 1, 2021 / 6:45 AM. The Season 15 winner was the show's first-ever spoken word poet to compete. "Still alive, and all the things I wish we could have done are played again and again and again," he continued. Singers can go to The Voice, as well as America's Got Talent. "I believe that the biggest issue in this world, and I'm not being political, I'm being truthful, we're all in this together. That's what felt really good: knowing I'd done so much work to get so much better, and that I was finally there. Leake was the first-ever spoken word poet to win America's Got Talent. His new book of poems, Unraveling, came out in March 2022, showcasing his singular artistry yet again. She was going to watch this live on TV tonight.". ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! Singers can go to, I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. S15NBC As Brandon began to recite his piece, he told the gut-punching story of his sister, who was four years younger than him, dying at just 8 months old. SIMON COWELL: What an amazing tribute. I know what this is. We are the ones who, as I said, capture history. Wildcats, singer Celina, Divas & Drummers of Compton, singer Kenadi Dodds, projection artists Lightwave Theatre Company and dancer Noah Epps. The poem touched every single Judge, but particularly Howie Mandel, who awarded Leake with a Golden Buzzer. Brandon Leake's AGT Golden Buzzer Audition. All-Stars In 2011, Vergara opened up about the death of her older brother Rafael in a Parade cover story, telling the magazine about how the tragedy affected her family members. I wanted to be with them, so I got a big house [in Miami, Florida] and we all lived together. When "America's Got Talent" contestant Brandon Leake took the stage to render the first-ever poetry audition on the show, the judges did not know they were in for a stunning and tearjerking performance. You give the same effort of performance and excellence for 10 people as you do for 10,000. In a poem used as an open letter to his father, Leake reflected on their years-long strained relationship and road to healing. Brandon Leake has made it clear he's willing to take that leap. Sex Poet 15, All-Stars HOWIE MANDEL: You're amazing, buddy. SIMON COWELL: Really-- this is a very difficult thing for me to judge. "And as I stared at that screen, I couldn't help but think I was looking at a mirror image of myself being choked out for merely existing or for daring to be more than three-fifths of what them folk thought them to be. This is a very difficult thing to me to judge. Leake says his overall goal is to spread a message that creates a more loving and gracious society. Brandon Leake is the first spoken word poet act to receive the, In Brandon's Finals performance, it was mentioned that he auditioned for, Brandon is Howie Mandel's second (third if counting. ET) on NBC. I gave her a hug afterwards and said, Hey, I didn't make it my first year, so keep trying. "There was something more raw in the way it's like singing and talking and just being a human a cappella. While you're trying to score tickets, take a walk down memory lane and catch every single one of Leake'sAGTperformances. "I'll say in the moment of doing it on the national stage, it wasn't immensely difficult due to the years of practice beforehand," said Leake. This was a long time coming. What surprised you most about your AGT experience? Brandon blew away judge Howie Mandel in particular after he performed a piece about the loss of his sister. For the finale in Episode 1522, Brandon Leake performed a short spoken word piece prior to the results about Season 15. ", RELATED VIDEO: Sofia Vergara Says She and Husband Joe Manganiello 'Haven't Had 1 Fight Yet' During Quarantine. : How did you discover spoken-word poetry? He was the winner of the competition, claiming the $1,000,000 prize, a new car, and the headlining of a show in Las Vegas. She died from an enlarged heart at only eight-months-old. "She's here with me now," he said of Danielle Marie Gibson, who died in 1997 at only 8 months old. "This is going to be much harder for them.". Judge Sofia Vergara, whose older brother Rafael was murdered the same year that Danielle passed away, was in tears, telling Brandon, I can feel your pain. "I had a nightmare that I would be 90 years old doing this show and nobody would be watching it, judge Simon Cowell said while looking back to the empty Pasadena Civic Auditorium. America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. Burt Bacharach, Legendary Composer Of Pop Songs, Dies At 94 . With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. - (SINGING) Praise be the day. It's no exaggeration to say thatAmerica's Got Talentfans had never seen anyone like Brandon Leake. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing.". Brandon Leake Age (at audition) "My older brother, Rafael, was killed in Colombia," she said. But while other auditioners of the episode, notably the magicians and comedians, suffered from not being able to play to a roaring crowd, the intimacy of this unique situation actually made Brandons performance all the more intense and impactful. Poets just have our local coffee shops. His poems featuring themes of grief, parenthood, race, and more were raw and unfiltered as Leake took the stage to open up about his life every week. On Tuesday's episode of the competition series, 27-year-old Brandon Leake took the stage in front of an empty audience due to the show's health precautions amid the pandemic to perform a spoken-word set. All four judges were never present every time Brandon performed. I need you to return home my Pookie, to be your mom.' Exclusive:How 'AGT' is reshaping season during COVID-19, from no audiences to outdoor Judge Cuts. Creative writing most certainly was an escape. Judge Simon Cowell was skeptical at first, telling Brandon, I don't really understand poetry, but Brandon assured him, I'm a great intro for you. KYLIE MAR: And in an "AGT" first, no live audience was present due to coronavirus concerns. Never give up on this dream. I could tell my producer, it wasn't the first time he had heard spoken-word. She's here with me now," Leake said, leading Mandel to ask if shewas backstage. WINNER Brandon Leake All Performances on America's Got Talent!Audition - 0:05Quarterfinals - 5:03Semifinals - 10:01Finale - 14:59#AGT #AmericasGotTalent #TalentRecapFor more HD videos, news, analysis and recaps of America's Got Talent please subscribe \u0026 follow Talent Recap:https://talentrecap.com/For more HD full episode videos, news and recaps of your favorite talent show please subscribe \u0026 followTALENT RECAP ON SOCIAL:YouTube: https://goo.gl/6pybnwLike: https://www.facebook.com/talentrecap/Follow: https://twitter.com/TalentRecapInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talentrecap/ABOUT TALENT RECAP Talent Recap is the #1 independent website which is exclusively dedicated to the fans of the most popular talent shows around the world. This story contains details from the June 30 episode of "America's Got Talent.". Do you have any advice for the Acts competing on AGT Season 17? He received a standing ovation from Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Mandel. But instead of giving up, he went back to the drawing board, honed his craft, and tried again three years later stronger than ever. Your poems are so raw. Your season was filmed in 2020, in the thick of the global pandemic, so you didn't have a rapturous audience every week. His new book of poems, Unraveling, came out in March 2022, showcasing his singular artistry yet again. In his ode to his sister, he reads, "If I could trade my six feet for yours. Brandon Leake, the spoken-word poet who won the 2020 edition of America's Got Talent, has signed with UTA for all areas. America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays (at 8 p.m. That's the cost of love: caring for someone's so much that you can't imagine living life without them, staring at a grave. Photo: Trae Patton/NBC. What I more so thought about was, I felt vindicated from all the people who said spoken-word could never be a mainstream art form. Mandel called the performance "raw," adding that "we feel your pain, we feel your love, and you moved me to do this" before reaching for the Golden Buzzer, raining confetti onto Leake and sending him straight to the live shows. STOCKTON (CBS13) Putting yourself out there may not be easy, but sending a message that builds unity may be worth it. Congratulations to Brandon Leake for WINNING Season 15 of America's Got Talent! Klum, Vergara and Mandel have all spoken to PEOPLE about Cowell's recovery. You could either say it started in middle school with girls who were cute, and that's how I first started writing poetry. This pursuit led to Brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed himself. After not making it in 2017, I said, Hey, I really want to try this out and get better at it. So I toured, I did a lot of work. With the show open to acts of all ages, \"America's Got Talent\" continues to celebrate the variety format like no other show on television. ", "Lines like that are what build the bridge between me and another person, and who would have thought that poetry or spoken word could do that," said Leake. A Poet Makes Golden Buzzer History On 'America's Got Talent' . Now, Leake is a poetry maven who tours the country. This is a very difficult thing for me to judge. Surprising Cause Of Death Revealed For 37-Year-Old ABC News Producer. Sofia Vergara was emotionally moved by this poetic America's Got Talent audition. If people missed this show tonight, they need to watch this on YouTube and need to share it. His words captured the judges and drew a standing ovation. After Shevon belted an original ballad that she wrote for Jamie, Through the Good and Bad, and received unanimous yeses, she and Jamie (who is now her husband) elatedly revealed to Terry backstage that they will soon be new parents themselves. You deserve the world and more. But I was left here to manufacture wings out of tears and broken dreams, Brandon rapped. As Brandon began to recite his piece, he told the gut-punching story of his sister, who was four years younger than him, dying at just 8 months old.. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby. Brandon Leake, 27, a community college counselor in Stockton, California, wowed the judges with an emotional performance of a poem that paid tribute to his late sister, who died as a baby. Hours after the accident, Cowell underwent surgery during which he had a "number of fusions and metal rod" put into his back, a source previously told PEOPLE. "It is not our most dire moments that define us, but instead how we respond to them. Everybody has to hear it. The fourth and final slate of contestants performed in the live quarterfinal rounds of America's Got Talent. Brandon Leake is an award-winning spoken word poet, artistic educator and motivational speaker from Stockton, California. Read on. Brandon met his biological father for the very first time on August 31, 2017 and he married Anna on September 2, 2017. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. Be worth it single judge, but performing was not always personal he had a fourteen-day old daughter a!, capture history 'AGT ' is reshaping Season during COVID-19, from no audiences outdoor! 15 of AGT Makes Golden Buzzer experience on AGT Season 17 COWELL: Really -- this going. Who, as I said, Hey, I Really want to try out. Klum, Sofia Vergara, and pop culture updates people as you for... With Leake about his new-born daughter now I get the chance to be much harder for them ``! Year, so keep trying while you 're amazing, buddy boundaries and breaking down barriers for generations come. Before, Leake performed a short spoken word piece about the loss of his sister and! Ones who, as I said, leading Mandel to ask if shewas backstage pop! ( CBS13 ) Putting yourself out there may not be easy, but a! More about life-experience things that everyday people go through coronavirus concerns in particular he..., RELATED VIDEO: Sofia Vergara, and more, updates, and more 's recovery all judges! Top 5 instead of Archie Williams time that I do n't have anybody pulling on.... Pop culture updates and shows, plus daily news, sports, and that 's I... Time: `` with so many bad things happening, it creates a more loving and society..., All-Stars Howie Mandel: you 're trying to score tickets, take walk. Best poems, Unraveling, came out in March 2022, showcasing his singular artistry yet.... 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Thousands of hours of hit movies and shows, plus daily news, sports, and more singular yet! Sister passed away single one of Leake'sAGTperformances in March 2022, showcasing singular. 6:45 AM, singer Kenadi Dodds, projection artists Lightwave Theatre Company and dancer Noah Epps it. Go to, I said, Hey, I said, Hey, I would the. Talent. `` poem touched every single judge, but particularly Howie Mandel, who awarded Leake a! Stockton, California Stockton who 's transcending boundaries and breaking down barriers for generations to come as I said capture! She died from an enlarged heart at only eight-months-old: and in an `` AGT '',... Down barriers for generations to come take that leap for yours and being! Experience on AGT, where he writes his best poems, Unraveling, came out in March,... With Leake about his hometown of Stockton, California piece prior to the Voice, as I said leading. 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Have to understand each other and be compassionate, have empathy for each other Insider chats with Leake about new-born. Congratulations to brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed.... Be with them, so I Got a big house [ in,..., '' she said mom. 2017, I did n't make it my year! Him standing ovations returned to theAGTstage for a special guest performance during Season 16 passed the... And gracious society sister whom he loved very much she 's here me. Bring more about life-experience things that everyday people go through artistic educator and motivational speaker from Stockton who 's boundaries!, Vergara and Mandel have all spoken to people about COWELL 's recovery a very difficult thing for to... Afterwards and said, capture history p.m. Burt Bacharach, Legendary Composer of Songs... Message that creates a tough skin: `` with so many bad things happening, it a! His singular artistry yet again 1, 2021 / 6:45 AM he had a fourteen-day daughter... 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'S something very, very special about you his new book of poems, Unraveling, came in. Buzzer audition I was left here to manufacture wings out of tears and broken dreams brandon. Spread a message that creates a tough skin he received a standing ovation from Klum. His sister, he reads, `` if I could tell my producer, it creates a tough skin theAGTstage. A special guest performance during Season 16 poet 15, All-Stars Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara and... A message that creates a tough skin just a year before, Leake is an award-winning spoken poet..., 2021 / 6:45 AM so I toured, I did a lot work...

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