On Tuesday, America's Got Talent contestant and 27-year-old Calif. native Brandon Leake made history when he took the stage as the show's first-ever spoken word artist. Aside from crew members and hostTerry Crews, that meant there were only four people inthe audience Tuesday: Cowell,Sofa Vergara,Howie Mandel and guest judgeEric Stonestreet, who filled in for a sick Heidi Klum. This is a very difficult thing for me to judge, I shouldnt be judging it. Like, How about I trade my six feet for yours? But that's not real. Brandons vulnerable words resonated throughout the empty venue in an AGT first, no live audience was present, due to coronavirus concerns. In his ode to his sister, he reads, "If I could trade my six feet for yours. Relive all of Brandon's full performances from the season. Get The America's Got Talent App: http://bit.ly/AGTAppDownload Subscribe for More: http://bit.ly/AGTSub America's Got Talent Tuesdays 8/7c on NBC! Stream on Peacock: https://pck.tv/3cCQGhHAMERICA'S GOT TALENT ON SOCIALLike AGT: https://www.facebook.com/agtFollow AGT: https://twitter.com/agtAGT Instagram: http://instagram.com/agtFind America's Got Talent trailers, full episode highlights, previews, promos, clips, and digital exclusives here.NBC ON SOCIAL:YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nbcTwitter: http://Twitter.com/NBCFacebook: http://Facebook.com/NBCInstagram: http://instagram.com/nbcABOUT AMERICA'S GOT TALENTAmericas Got Talent,\" NBCs No. What an amazing tribute. "I did all of this just to give you that. The reason I became so much better was actually 'cause I failed making the show the first time. Now, Leake is a poetry maven who tours the country. The Stockton, California, native spoke about his mother's "greatest fear" about her son living in America as a Black man and honored the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake. Gibson was only 8 months old. "I am going to show the world what a spoken-word poet can do.". "I've been ground-bound because she left. But, there is something so different about Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and the countless others," Leake said. 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. How were you able to reach a place where you can be so personal in your work? ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! "Normally death don't really bother me, I'm from southside Stockton. 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. "From the person who lives in Wyoming in a farm town who can relate to a city kid from Stockton, California. For his audition, Leake presented an emotional piece about mourning his late sister. Brandon Leake has made it clear he's willing to take that leap. You deserve the world and more. And if you want your story told properly, you have to be yourself. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17, 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16, Golden Buzzer Brandon Leake Makes AGT History With Powerful Poetry - America's Got Talent 2020. Later, Leake emotionally said, "My mother's greatest fear is that I won't return home breathing, blood pulsing through these veins enough to still be her Pookie. According to Parade, Rafael was fatally shot in an attempted kidnapping in 1998. Brandon received enough votes to advance to the Finals in Episode 1518 instead of Thomas Day. Everybody has to hear it. 'America's Got Talent' Winners: Where Are They Now? No music, no nothing, just a raw heart beating in front of us. I know what it is to have somebodytaken from you without you knowing, but it was very beautiful for me.". The Season 15 winner is the competition's first (and only) spoken-word poetry champion. Tears also flowed for singer Shevon Nieto, a two-time Olympic runner who quit training for her third Summer Games after her boyfriend Jamie, also an Olympic athlete, was paralyzed from the chest down in a 2016 high-jumping accident. [1] He was the first spoken word poet to be on America's Got Talent and received the Golden Buzzer award in the first round from Howie Mandel. . Watch Brandon Leake's Audition on AGT:https://youtu.be/tdjIFkM-ohQWill Brandon become the next AGT winner?? Poet Don't go out there trying to be somebody else. He's a young man from Stockton who's transcending boundaries and breaking down barriers for generations to come. This show is about talent as much as it is about story. Read on. "I'm tired of playing God 'cause I gotta come to terms with the fact that my sister ain't never comin' back.". Then, eight months later, Danielle passed away. Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara all gave him standing ovations. To let it all hang loose on stage and leave nothing behind. He received enough votes from the Superfans to enter the Top 3 of the night. Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell all gave him standing ovations. There's really no other place to find a mainstream home. The activist also liaises with Stockton Police Department, advocating for reform of their use-of-force policies to better the relationship between minorities and the police. "She was sitting in the car next to me as we were going to pick up my grandpa. "I can feel your pain; I know what this is. For the finale in Episode 1522, Brandon Leake performed a short spoken word piece prior to the results about Season 15. ", "Words seem to move people and myself more than anything, he's got everything," Mandel, 64, said of his Golden Buzzer winner. Winner, Preliminaries Brandon Leake, a 27-year-old college counselor from Stockton, California, shocked the judges with . But I was left here to manufacture wings out of tears and broken dreams, Brandon rapped. And I'm tired of playing God, because Ive got to come to terms with the fact that my sister ain't never coming back. "I'm still haunted by these nightmares 'cause I have a really creative mind, and sometimes it designs these alternate realities where she is still here," he said. Congratulations to Brandon Leake for WINNING Season 15 of America's Got Talent! The judge's older brother, Rafael, was murdered in 1998 at age 27 during a kidnapping attempt in Colombia, and the memories came flooding back when Brandon Leake recited a poem about his sister's death, according to Fox News. "It is not our most dire moments that define us, but instead how we respond to them. I shouldn't be judging it. 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. I'm just trying to hold onto you. Go behind-the-scenes, stay on top of breaking news, hang with the stars, and much more. "There was something more, so raw. Brandon's sister, who was four years younger than him, died at just 8 months old. Simon Cowell Is 'Very Happy' to Be Home 1 Week After Breaking His Back and Undergoing Surgery, Sofia Vergara Recalls Brother's Death During Powerful AGT Audition: 'I Can Feel Your Pain', AGT: Watch Archie Williams, Brandon Leake and More Season 15 Finalists Perform for $1M Prize. 1 summer show, returns in May with fresh new faces and familiar favorites, along with the excitement, thrills and feel-good performances that viewers have come to love each season. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby. Everybody else is pretty much irrelevant. I just want to compliment you on what you just did, because it was extraordinary.". Brandon Leake POWERFUL Poetry About Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake Brandon Leake Will Make You EMOTIONAL With His Spoken Word - America's Got Talent 2020, Brandon Leake Delivers Emotional Spoken Word to His Daughter - America's Got Talent 2020, Brandon Leake Performs a Moving Spoken Word Piece About AGT - America's Got Talent 2020, THE WINNER IS - America's Got Talent 2020, Brandon Leake's EMOTIONAL Performance Receives a Standing Ovation - AGT- All-Stars 2023. Last week, a source told PEOPLE that "Simon's healing has been going well," and "he's recovering at home." However, that didn't seem to affect the emotion in the room. 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Pour Salt Down Your Drain At Night, Here's Why, Germaphobe Howie Mandel Talks Wearing Masked Singer Lobster Costume, Stephanie Hsu & Tallie Medel on Their Awards Journey and Meeting Tilda Swinton | SAG Awards 2023, Tyler Henry Connects Celebs With Late Siblings (EMOTIONAL), Jennifer Hudson dishes on talk show success, Black History Month: Denver poet JC Futrell performs poem 'BRICS', Veterans Creative Arts Showcase | Morning Blend, AGT: All-Stars Finale: Winner WONT Receive Prize Money, Kate and Charlie Gibson talk 'The Book Case' podcast and new writers. HOWIE MANDEL: You're amazing, buddy. He will be part of the AGT Live residency and has a movie in the works. I handicapped myself for years because I was too concerned with how people looked at me, how people perceived me. This is a very difficult thing for me to judge. I just want to compliment you on what you just did because it was extraordinary. Poets just have our local coffee shops. It's just me and my thoughts. We feel your pain. SOFIA VERGARA: Yeah. She's here with me now," Leake said, leading Mandel to ask if shewas backstage. 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. His tear-jerking tale of family tragedy not only earned judge Howie Mandels Golden Buzzer, but host Terry Crews told him, Youre about to put spoken word on the map like its never been before. Brandon, whose daughter was born just 14 days before his AGT audition, explained that he had turned to poetry years ago as a means of coping with his teen angst: I let all that frustration out. Information Season 15 Coming from a kid who was always concerned about looking cool, being cool, and doing cool stuff, it was really hard for me to relinquish that type of cool jacket off of myself, How communal the talent pool became. Brandon Leake's ode to his sister turned an audience-free "AGT" into a night to remember. Sofia Vergara was emotionally moved by this poetic America's Got Talent audition. Brandon had explained that he had a fourteen-day old daughter and a sister whom he loved very much. Or you could say it started in college after the passing of one of my best friends. I know what this is. Mandel hit the Golden Buzzer as just five pairs of hands clapped, sendingLeake straight to the live final shows. Published on July 1, 2020 11:34 AM. Brandon's words were able to take a 64-year-old white guy and put him inside the heart and mind of an African-American mother whose just saying goodbye and fearing for her son's return," he said. "She's here with me now," he said of Danielle Marie Gibson, who died in 1997 at only 8 months old. 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Male We'll be the voices that people look back and say this is what this era looked like," said Leake. S15NBC Klum, Vergara and Mandel have all spoken to PEOPLE about Cowell's recovery. But it was very beautiful for me. However, it was Howie who hit that Golden Buzzer the final Golden Buzzer of the season still left in play which automatically advanced Brandon to the live shows. This story contains details from the June 30 episode of "America's Got Talent.". The Modern Family actress then said that Leake's poem reminded her of her late brother. SIMON COWELL: Really-- this is a very difficult thing for me to judge. 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. Howie and Heidi are amazing, but he's the boss! KYLIE MAR: "America's Got Talent's" first-ever spoken-word contestant, 27-year-old Stockton poet, educator, and new father Brandon Leake, closed out Tuesday night's episode with a tear-jerking ode to his deceased younger sister. Never the same and never replicated. AGT Season 17 premieres Tuesday, May 31 at 8 p.m. The new dad moved the. Brandon met his wife Anna at one of his shows in Stockton after she turned up with a mutual friend. In addition to the $1 million grand prize and a newKia Stinger, Leake is currently a headliner atAGT's live Las Vegas show at the Luxor. 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. Last week on'AGT': Sofia Vergara falls in her haste to get away from shocking eye-bulging rapper. Don't go out there chasing anybody else. Your poems are so raw. BRANDON LEAKE: I know I said earlier to hold on to love loosely so when it leaves, it won't exit so painfully. While you're trying to score tickets, take a walk down memory lane and catch every single one of Leake'sAGTperformances. There's something very, very special about you. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. ET) on NBC. Brandon Leake, a 27-year-old college counselor from Stockton, California, shocked the judges with an emotionally poetic spoken-word performance, a first on the "AGT" stage. Or maybe it was simply due to they hue and in that moment I better understand my Black mother's greatest fear was every time I left her home, on the other side of her phone would no longer be her son, it would be America's most popular hashtag," the father of one said. Brandon met his biological father for the very first time on August 31, 2017 and he married Anna on September 2, 2017. Position Reached But America's Got Talent was a place that said, Hey, we'll welcome you if you're good. And fortunately for me, I was good enough to make the show the second time around. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. 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. - (SINGING) Praise be the day. Brandon was the first ever artist of his genre to feature on the show and has been awarded the $1,000,000 prize, as well as a headline slot at a show in Las Vegas. Seasons All-Stars 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.". Tonight's poem is actually an ode to my sister, Brandon explained. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! Let's find out#GoldenBuzzer #BrandonLeake . Burt Bacharach, Legendary Composer Of Pop Songs, Dies At 94 . Brandon Leake's Adorable 3-Year-Old Crashed His AGT: All-Stars Audition The Season 15 alum made history with his win in 2020 as the first-ever spoken word poet to compete. Coming from a kid who was always concerned about looking cool, being cool, and doing cool stuff, it was really hard for me to relinquish that type of cool jacket off of myselfto just be OK with being like, Let me, for lack of a better term, look like a dumbass on stage. You have to give yourself permission to cryto do theater, in a sense. It's my opportunity. 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. 27-year-old Brandon Leake is a spoken word poet and motivational speaker. I could finally say spoken-word has a place in this artistry world. Leake, who is AGT 's first-ever spoken word poet to compete, was among the standout performances of the night with his moving poem. "Its amazing to me that on Season 15 its the first time were hearing spoken word," the comedian said. Table of Biography [ show] Early Life Brandon Leake was born on May 4, 1992. What did getting the Golden Buzzer during your audition feel like? WINNER Brandon Leake All Performances on America's Got Talent!Audition - 0:05Quarterfinals - 5:03Semifinals - 10:01Finale - 14:59#AGT #AmericasGotTalent #Tal. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. Mother was like a zombie. We feel your pain, we feel your love.". 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. ", "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. : The journey started one of two ways. SPOKEN word performer and civil rights activist Brandon Leake is the winner of Americas Got Talent season 15. Brandon Leake's Quarterfinals performance in Episode 1515 consisted of reciting a spoken word poem about mother love and racial injustice. I can feel your pain. "America, sit quietly, listen and take it in.". There was really nowhere else to go. Are you close to your sister? asked Howie. There were probably a lot of people who doubted that a poet could win, but Brandon is the real deal. "It's amazing to me that on Season 15, it's the first time that we're hearing somebody of spoken word," Mandel said. I know what this is. 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. I am so grateful to be in this country. He finished ahead of Josh Blue but behind Kodi Lee, eliminating him from the competition. Leake, who is AGT's first-ever spoken word poet to compete, was among the standout performances of the night with his moving poem. 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. With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. Following his victory just a year before, Leake returned to theAGTstage for a special guest performance during Season 16. That being said, if an audience had been present during this taping, its likely that all spectators would have been rendered stunned and pindrop-silent by Brandons words. Leake was the first spoken word poet to perform on the show. This is a very difficult thing to me to judge. This pursuit led to Brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed himself. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby. "America's Got Talent" headed into uncharted territory Tuesday. Your mother and I love you more than youll ever know., Today fans divided over Jenna's dress as some viewers say it's 'inappropriate', Sister Wives Janelle Brown doesnt approve of Christines new romance, Inside 1000-lb Sisters stars Amy and Michael's secret fights over kids, Today's Savannah Guthrie abruptly leaves show after scary new medical diagnosis, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Brandon Leake is the winner of Americas Got Talent season 15, Leake is a spoken word poet and motivational speaker, Brandon blew away judge Howie Mandel after he performed a piece about the loss of his sister, Brandon met his wife Anna at one of his shows in Stockton, Leake was born on the south side of Stockton, California, Brandon has a daughter of six months named Aaliyah, AGT's Heidi Klum hits the Golden Buzzer pickingCristina Rae for the finals. Incredibly, in all of its 15 seasons, Americas Got Talent has never had a spoken-word contestant. "Kind of," Leake replied. It's the time that I don't have anybody pulling on me. An AGT first, no live audience was present, due to coronavirus concerns me, how about trade... Manufacture wings out of tears and broken dreams, Brandon rapped winner, Preliminaries Brandon Leake for WINNING Season of! 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