Angelica Hale of Suwanee makes it to finals of ‘America’s Got Talent: Champions’

She came in second in 2017
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT: THE CHAMPIONS -- "The Champions Three" Episode 103 -- Pictured: (l-r) Terry Crews, Angelica Hale, Howie Mandel -- (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

Credit: NBC

Credit: NBC

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT: THE CHAMPIONS -- "The Champions Three" Episode 103 -- Pictured: (l-r) Terry Crews, Angelica Hale, Howie Mandel -- (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

Originally posted Tuesday, January 22, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog

Pixie-like Suwanee resident Angelica Hale, who came in second in 2017 on "America's Got Talent," is now in the finals of a special "America's Got Talent: The Champions" edition.

The 11-year-old girl with an angelic adult-sounding voice received the Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel Monday night, guaranteeing her a spot without submitting to a vote.

She covered Rachel Platten's "Fight Song," navigating the soft notes and big ones with equal aplomb. As usual, she melded equal parts precision and emotion in a tiny package, adding plenty of her own personality into the pop song.

"You are like the little boss lady you are," Heidi Klum said. "You came here to win!"

Mel B didn't think she did enough: "You have this incredible voice. You're like a  firecracker. I see your hunger to win this competition. I thought you would have taken this song and given it your own Angelica twist to it." (She got boos for that.)

But Mandel ignored Mel B and said he wanted to help her win this fight and pressed the Golden Buzzer.

Tearfully, Angelica said, “I never expected this to happen! Thank you!”