This was posted on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
After 12 seasons, metro Atlanta has its very first finalist on "America's Got Talent": 10-year-old singing phenom from Johns Creek Angelica Hale.
The producers clearly liked her. Why? She was given the final slot on Tuesday's show. While that's not a guarantee an act will move on, it's a great spot to inspire immediate votes.
Angelica will perform next week for $1 million. To date, she has shown jaw-dropping range and an unusually mature voice for her age along with healthy doses of confidence and cuteness. She purposely chose recent pop hits by Zedd and David Guetta the past two rounds, which has helped her be more relevant and not as much a novelty act or Celine Dion wannabe.
She made it through with four other acts on Wednesday. Overall, 11 acts are in the finals: seven singers, a dog act, two dance groups and a stand-up comic.
Angelica was also able to overcome a seeming direct competitor for votes Celine Tam, a singer who opened the show and is only nine.
During the first seven seasons, singers won, followed by a dog act, a magician, a dance act and a ventriloquist. With Simon Cowell entering the fray, a singer came back and took the crown last year as well: 12-year-old Grace Vanderwaal. She was the second younger singer to take home the crown with Bianca Ryan in 2006 the first.
That would potentially bode well for Angelica except she has two competitors in the young female singer category: Evie Clair and combo ventriloquist/singer Darci Lynne Farmer, just 12 but incredibly entertaining and the likely favorite to win.
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