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Episode 2 of America's Got Talent Season 20 aired on June 3 and featured more auditions. The judges—Mel B, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, and Sofia Vergara—watched a variety of acts, including horror magic, drones, a football tosser, acrobats, and singers.
One standout was Cole Swensen, a 23-year-old singer from California. He was joined on stage by his mom, Judy, who once gave up her dream of a music career. Cole said he’s now chasing that dream for her.
He played the guitar while singing Viva La Vida by Coldplay while his mom played the cello. Their performance was appreciated by the judges, cheered for by the live audience, and praised by viewers at home on X.
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"Cole Swensen and his Mother just gave me goosebumps!" a fan said.
"Perfection!!!! So glad Cole and his incredible mother auditioned together, this was beautiful to see," said another.
"The tone of Cole's voice is really nice! Beautiful performance!" added a third.
"Cole took a @coldplay song and added so much love to it," wrote another.
Fans of America's Got Talent also praised Judy and how she worked as a pair with Cole.
"Cole and his mom Judy were amazing, I definitely see them moving on," an X user wrote.
"Another cover. But Cole is doing something different with it. I like this. It is more soulful, a little slower," another user wrote.
"Alright, Cole.... and Mom Judy!!!!! Ooo Viva La Vida- interesting song choice," commented one.
"Cole Swensen is an amazing singer, and his mom is an amazing cello player," wrote another.
Cole Swensen and Judy's America's Got Talent season 20 episode 2 performance and what the judges had to say
When Cole came up to the stage, he thanked Simon for the opportunity to perform on the America's Got Talent stage because before then, he hadn't performed on a stage as big as that. He shared that his mom played a huge role in making him a musician, before inviting her to the stage to accompany him on the cello.
The audience cheered for his mom as she entered the stage. Simon asked her name, which was Judy, and asked her if she was happy. She said she was good and proud. After performing their rendition of Coldplay's Viva La Vida on the America's Got Talent stage, Mel B said that he had a "distinctive tone" which set him apart. Sofia stated that the love between him and his mom got her emotional.
"To see love emulated on the stage like that, just my heart is just exploding," Howie said.
He also said that he loved the song, but he loved Cole's rendition as much as he liked the song. Simon at first said that his performance would have been good if he were the only one performing, without his mom. His comment got boos from the audience. Mel also said that it was a rude thing to say.
But after a pause, Simon said that while his performance alone would have been good, his mom's company made the performance "great". The audience cheered in approval, and all four judges said yes to the duo for the next round.
For more updates on Cole Swensen, fans of America's Got Talent can follow him on his official Instagram account, @coleswensenmusic.
