Shows like America’s Got Talent have given people all over the country the chance to share their talents. One of them is 21-year-old Joseph Allen from Texas.
Allen stepped onto the stage with a positive attitude and a colorfully-patterned shirt. He was supported by his four parents — father, mother, stepfather, and stepmother. All of them were there to cheer him on.
Allen is the youngest of 12 siblings in his blended family, so he’s got a support system that most people only dream of.
He said they have always been extremely supportive of him no matter what he dreamed of doing. As a child, he wanted to be a motocross racer — so he started racing. But then he discovered his love of music. And that, of course, led him to America’s Got Talent.
The first thing the judges noticed when Allen stepped on the stage was his bright expression.
“Look at that smile,” judge Howie Mandel commented.
But Allen also caught their attention when he said he was there to perform an original song. Most singers perform covers when they audition, so Allen was putting himself out there in more ways than one.
“I see myself as someone who can make a major impact in the world, and I just wanna see how much of a footprint I can leave on earth before I leave,” he said.
It was clear that the judges sensed that this was a one-of-a-kind performer they had before them.
But they had no idea what was about to hit them.
When Allen began to sing, there were two reactions to his pure, bright voice. One was a cheer going up through the audience. The other was stunned silence. It seemed like the crowd wanted to be as quiet as possible so that they wouldn’t miss a moment.
Then, once the beat dropped, Allen portrayed his signature sense of humor and positivity even in his music.
“Everybody backstage please don’t be scared,” he rapped. “‘Cause up close, Simon looks just like a teddy bear.”
His performance was incredibly energetic. There is nothing more entertaining than watching a performer who is enjoying themselves, and Allen was clearly having the time of his life. He said that he was worried about looking like a fool. Instead, he had instantly captured the hearts of 15 million people, including the four judges.
He even had the audience on their feet, clapping and dancing.
Even more amazing was hard-to-impress Simon Cowell jumped to his feet and gave him a standing ovation. The other three judges and the rest of the audience followed suit.
Allen was obviously overwhelmed at the response.
He had tears in his eyes as he acknowledged the applause.
“I’m sorry I look like a punk up here,” he said apologetically, wiping his eyes.
But the best part was when judge Howie Mandel climbed up on the table to stomp on the golden buzzer, making Allen one of the few who will go straight through to the semifinals. Then, host Terry Crews ran out excitedly onto the stage, lifting Allen high with his arms in the air.
“This is the moment I have dreamed of for a long time,” said Allen. “This is like nothing I ever imagined.”
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