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America's Got Talent (AGT) judges recently opened up about their all-time favorite acts on the show, reminiscing about their most memorable moments and explaining what made certain performances stand out from the rest. In a short video clip posted on the NBC show's official Instagram page (@agt) on July 1, 2025, the panelists listed their favorites while commenting on the show's impact.
Experts Simon Cowell and Sofia Vergara looked back on their journey on the series, recalling the vast numbers of acts they have judged, during which they came across some they could never forget. Acts like The Mayyas, Shin Lim, Nightbirde, and Archie Williams were among the top choices of the judges of America's Got Talent.
Terry Crews reflected on the first time he used his Golden Buzzer, highlighting the significance of that moment for him in the series. Howie Mandel, on the other hand, commented on the show's legacy and its ability to change people's lives. He praised the acts that auditioned for season 20, the latest season of AGT, saying they were "living up to the hype."
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America's Got Talent host Terry Crews recalls giving his Golden Buzzer to the Detroit Youth Choir
Sofia Vergara, who became part of America's Got Talent in season 15 in 2020, named The Mayyas as her "favorite moment" from her time on the show. Simon chimed in, saying he was going to name them as his favorite act.
"From the moment I saw them, I knew I wanted them to be my Golden Buzzer," Sofia added.
The Mayyas, an all-female Lebanese alternative precision dance group, auditioned in season 17 of the NBC show and went on to win that season. Their victory brought them global fame and popularity, as they earned a spot performing with singer-songwriter Beyoncé at her exclusive concert in Dubai in 2023.
Additionally, they secured a residency at the Luxor in Las Vegas and earned the Lebanese Order of Merit.
America's Got Talent expert Simon named magician Shin Lim as his most memorable act, calling it "spectacular." The Canadian-American magician first won season 13 of the show and then the Champions spin-off in 2019.
He quickly rose to fame for his card tricks and sleight-of-hand performances, securing appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. At the time of writing, he has over 742K followers on his Instagram account, @shinlimmagic.
Simon also named the late singer Jane "Nightbirde" Marczewski as one of his all-time favorite performances. She auditioned during season 16 of America's Got Talent and earned Simon's Golden Buzzer with her original song, It's OK.
Nightbirde was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in early 2022. A day after her passing, Simon honored the late singer on his social media, saying:
"She [Nightbirde] made a huge impact on AGT and the world, her courage was incredible and her determination to fight this terrible illness was remarkable. Rest in peace, Jane."
The America's Got Talent panelist added a third name to his list of favorites, which was singer Archie Williams, who appeared on season 15 of the NBC show. Simon particularly remembered his story of wrongfully being incarcerated for 37 years.
Simon then noted that more than the talent, it was "the people" and their legacy that was worth remembering, making the show what it was.
Host Terry Crews named the Detroit Youth Choir as his favorite act, saying:
"My favorite was when I gave the Golden Buzzer to the Detroit Youth Choir. The first time I ever gave a Golden Buzzer. I was overwhelmed because it was just reminded me of me and those kids and how they've gone on to such great success."
Howie chimed in, saying the choir was still "going strong." He believed that was the "most exciting thing" about America's Got Talent, which allowed contestants to leave a legacy behind. Moreover, he was pleased with the "bigger and more exciting" performances on AGT season 20, saying they met the expectations of the 20th anniversary of the NBC show.
America's Got Talent season 20 will return with a new episode on July 8, 2025, only on NBC.
