Mandel gave Leake a standing ovation once again following a performance that served as a prayer for his daughter. If you don't understand it and you're not moved by it, then you're not a human being. We feel your pain. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! You could either say it started in middle school with girls who were cute, and that's how I first started writing poetry. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara all gave him standing ovations. He continued: "There is something very, very special about you. Brandon received enough votes to advance to the Semifinals in Episode 1516 instead of CA Wildcats and Divas & Drummers of Compton. 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. For his audition, Leake presented an emotional piece about mourning his late sister. 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. And if you want your story told properly, you have to be yourself. Brandon Leake's Preliminary performance in Episode AS06 consisted of performing a spoken word poem about a homeless man he met on the street with a moral of not judging a book by its cover. ", Mandel added, "I asked Brandon if his mother had heard this and he said no. Position Reached After graduating, Leake joined a slam poetry team in Sacramento. A good number of us really cheered each other on, even when we were competitiveIf you do great, that doesn't mean I can't, Do you have any advice for the Acts competing on, this roundup of his best moments from the show. Brandon is also the founder and CEO of Called to Move, an organization that aids youth in self-actualizing and personally developing through the art of poetry. At present, he is 30 years old and his sun sign is Taurus. 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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. Brandon won 'AGT' season 15 in September 2020, taking home $1 million prize money, a new Kia Stinger, and the chance to perform in Luxor Las Vegas. 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. ", She added at the time: "With so many bad things happening, it creates a tough skin. Stream now on Peacock.ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! Mother was like a zombie. 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. "I did all of this just to give you that. 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. In 2011, Vergara opened up about the death of her older brother Rafael in a Parade cover story, telling the magazine about how the tragedy affected her family members. Tune in next week, when the Americas Got Talent auditions once again, without a live audience conclude. You deserve the world and more. Leake's audition, featuring a deeply personal poem about his late sister, earned him a Golden Buzzer from Judge Howie Mandel, and he was an unstoppable force from there. I know what this is. The Modern Family actress then said that Leake's poem reminded her of her late brother. "America, sit quietly, listen and take it in.". "We are the storytellers of the generation, we are the griots of our time. Wildcats, singer Celina, Divas & Drummers of Compton, singer Kenadi Dodds, projection artists Lightwave Theatre Company and dancer Noah Epps. While you're trying to score tickets, take a walk down memory lane and catch every single one of Leake'sAGTperformances. We feel your love and you moved me to do this.". Don't go out there chasing anybody else. Danielle's presence was definitely felt. She fell asleep and just didn't wake up," Leake told CBS13. But, there is something so different about Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and the countless others," Leake said. "This is going to be much harder for them.". Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell all gave him standing ovations. Brandon Leake's ode to his sister turned an audience-free "AGT" into a night to remember. SOFIA VERGARA: My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away. 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. : The journey started one of two ways. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its like singing and talking and just being a human a cappella. Watch thousands of hours of hit movies and shows, plus daily news, sports, and pop culture updates. A Poet Makes Golden Buzzer History On 'America's Got Talent' . The new dad moved the. "Tonight's poem is actually an ode to my sister. Singers can go to, I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. Praise be the kingdom. [2] 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. "My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away," she said. Since then, Leake has worked as an English teacher at Edison High School and an academic advisor at Delta College in Stockton. She was going to watch this live on TV tonight.". There was another poet who was trying out with me. Last week, a source told PEOPLE that "Simon's healing has been going well," and "he's recovering at home." Leake was the first-ever spoken word poet to win America's Got Talent. Then, eight months later, Danielle passed away. It was a testament to the time I had spent really owning and working on my craft. STOCKTON (CBS13) Putting yourself out there may not be easy, but sending a message that builds unity may be worth it. ), "It's been great to have all those guest judges, but I do miss Simon. On June 30, 27-year old Brandon Leake took the stage to perform a spoken-word ode to his late sister, Danielle, and the performance left Sofia visibly shaken. ", "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. As Brandon began to recite his piece, he told the gut-punching story of his sister, who was four years younger than him, dying at just 8 months old. Age (at audition) - (SINGING) Praise be the day. "I think just aside whatever this contest is and this talent show is, it's probably the clearest vision of what is going on today than what I have ever heard. You don't have to be this hardened individual who steps in there and does this crazy competitive work. There's something very, very special about you. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Leake, who is AGT's first-ever spoken word poet to compete, was among the standout performances of the night with his moving poem. On Tuesday's episode of the competition series, 27-year-old Brandon Leake took . NBC Insider: How did you discover spoken-word poetry? KYLIE MAR: But Howie Mandel was most moved by Brandon's audition, as the judge ultimately decided to give him his Golden Buzzer. We are the ones who, as I said, capture history. 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. With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. He received a standing ovation from Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Mandel. God blessed me with really long arms, so I just put my phone outside the water and type. When Howie asked if Brandons sister, Danielle (a girl with a smile as wide as the universe and eyes that glimmer like the stars), was backstage, Brandon just vaguely answered, Kind of. Danielles presence was definitely felt. Brandon Leake's Quarterfinals performance in Episode 1515 consisted of reciting a spoken word poem about mother love and racial injustice. Incredibly, in all of its 15 seasons, Americas Got Talent has never had a spoken-word contestant. 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. Brandon Leake, AGT Season 15 winner: The journey started one of two ways. WINNER Brandon Leake All Performances on America's Got Talent!Audition - 0:05Quarterfinals - 5:03Semifinals - 10:01Finale - 14:59#AGT #AmericasGotTalent #Tal. 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. Cowell called his act an "amazing tribute." You give the same effort of performance and excellence for 10 people as you do for 10,000. Following his victory just a year before, Leake returned to theAGTstage for a special guest performance during Season 16. Public File for KMAX-TV / Good Day Sacramento. ", RELATED VIDEO: Sofia Vergara Says She and Husband Joe Manganiello 'Haven't Had 1 Fight Yet' During Quarantine. 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. ET) on NBC. BRANDON LEAKE: And I'm tired of playing God, because I got to come to terms with the fact that my sister ain't never coming back. In his ode to his sister, he reads, "If I could trade my six feet for yours. Brandon Leake, a 27-year-old college counselor from Stockton, California, shocked the judges with . We have to understand each other and be compassionate, have empathy for each other. Leake was the first spoken word poet to perform on the show. This is a very difficult thing to me to judge. 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. Brandon Leake is AGT royalty. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby sister. She did this really sweet poem about her relationship with Jesus. "This right here is genuinely a moment in which spoken word got a chance to be on the forefront of the American conscious," he said to People following his victory. You just have to take a deep breath and keep on going if not for yourself, then for everybody you love.". "I'm tired of playing God 'cause I gotta come to terms with the fact that my sister ain't never comin' back.". What I more so thought about was, I felt vindicated from all the people who said spoken-word could never be a mainstream art form. Sex America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. I'm just trying to hold onto you. Or you could say it started in college after the passing of one of my best friendsme getting the opportunity to have an outlet to share that type of pain. He was the winner of the competition, claiming the $1,000,000 prize, a new car, and the headlining of a show in Las Vegas. Brandon received enough votes to advance to the Finals in Episode 1518 instead of Thomas Day. His new book of poems, Unraveling, came out in March 2022, showcasing his singular artistry yet again. 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. Table of Biography [ show] Early Life Brandon Leake was born on May 4, 1992. TERRY CREWS: You have received the Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel. I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. Brandon Leakeisa poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. Hours after the accident, Cowell underwent surgery during which he had a "number of fusions and metal rod" put into his back, a source previously told PEOPLE. Congratulations to Brandon Leake for WINNING Season 15 of America's Got Talent! My kids don't bother me when I'm in the shower, my wife doesn't need anything from me when I'm in the shower. But instead of giving up, he went back to the drawing board, honed his craft, and tried again three years later stronger than ever. Anna posted on her Instagram celebrating 3 years with her hubby. There was really nowhere else to go. Just a raw heart beating in front of us. In a poem used as an open letter to his father, Leake reflected on their years-long strained relationship and road to healing. ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! "There was something more, so raw. Spoiler alert! After his win, Brandon said: "For an art form that has not been on the mainstream ever to have a chance to win Americas Got Talent is bigger than anything. 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. There was really nowhere else to go. Brandon Leake is an award-winning spoken word poet, artistic educator and motivational speaker from Stockton, California. Information (He even earned a Golden Buzzer.) ", Klum also said Cowell has been "healing pretty fast," adding, "I think he's doing amazingly.". Moved by his performance, Howie Mandel pressed his Golden Buzzer, sending Brandon directly to the Quarterfinals. 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