Great singer, reporting for duty! During the third night of Auditions for Season 21 of America’s Got Talent, the Judges were blown away by the vocal stylings of an Army man.
When Sgt. Isaac Atkins took the stage, Judge Mel B was immediately on his side thanks to “that voice!” as she put it, (his natural speaking tone was low and smooth) and that was before he sang a note.
Judges Sofía Vergara, Simon Cowell, and Howie Mandel were equally enthralled as Atkins explained his career pivot from military to performer. Still, even a soldier gets stage fright. “I jumped out of a plane at 18,000 feet, and this is scarier than that,” Atkins admitted, explaining that he’s still enlisted but had taken leave to come to his Audition. And boy, was it worth it.
What song did Isaac Atkins sing on AGT?
He didn’t have to “beg” his way to the Live Shows! For his Audition, Atkins chose “Beggin'” by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Valli famously sang in his upper register, so the choice allowed Atkins to show off his range, starting on a high note and then exploring his full capabilities.
When he was finished, Mel told the visibly emotional Atkins, “Isaac, let me tell ya, you can sing.” Vergara agreed, saying, “what a voice you have.” Having made up her mind by then, Mel continued, “hold on a minute. Before anybody else does this, I’m gonna do it,” and hit the Golden Buzzer. Atkins tried his best to fight back his tears, but he was simply overcome by the moment, and it was so sweet watching him call his family backstage.
In a chat, Mel B told the sarge, “I had to. It was so good. Well done. You’ve got heart. And that voice. Well done. Enjoy this moment. It’s all yours.”
What to know about Isaac Atkins and his viral TikToks
The 23-year-old Lewiston, Maine native grew up singing the oldies, like Motown and Sam Cooke, in the car with his dad. He then spent six years in the Army. A year and a half ago, though, he began posting his in-the-car covers online; his soldiers found the videos and were super encouraging! He currently has more than 80,000 followers on his TikTok account, where he uploads videos of himself singing in uniform while driving to and from his daily tasks.
America’s armed forces have some serious talent!
Atkins’ Act couldn’t help but bring to mind last summer’s performance by Benjamin Hightower, the Air Force veteran who got a standing ovation for his spirited rendition of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.” Like the narrator of the song, Hightower is a Tennessee native who decided to take the risky path of pursuing the arts rather than the more stable path of, in his case, another four years in the Air Force. Maybe he and Atkins should link up for a duet?
