Nene Royal Gets Mel B.’s Golden Buzzer

The Quarterfinals continued on the August 25 episode of America’s Got Talent. Eleven more acts took the stage in hopes of moving on in the competition.

Like last week, there was one Live Golden Buzzer in play. After Howie Mandel gave his to Hundred Fingers on August 18, sending them straight to the Finals, the power was in Mel B.‘s hands this time around. America will vote for their favorites of the rest of the contestants, and three of those acts will move onto the Semifinals during tomorrow night’s results show.

Because Simon Cowell is away from the show for a few weeks due to a “routine” procedure relating to his back injury, his seat was left empty, leaving Mandel, Mel, and Sofia Vergara to offer commentary from the judges’ table.

Scroll down for a recap of the night’s performances and to find out who got the Golden Buzzer.

LaRussell

Kicking off the night was LaRussell with a rap performance, accompanied by his friends from the Bay Area.

“First of all, I love what you guys stand for. I can feel the energy literally bouncing off the stage,” Mel B. said. “I did find it a little bit chaotic. There was a lot going on. But like I said, your energy was right up there. It was. And that’s the part that I enjoyed. I almost wish you had a few more days to rehearse it. I felt like you were a little bit out of breath, but I could feel the excitement.”

The audience boo-ed Mel’s response, but Vergara jumped in to say, “I do think this was a step up from the audition. I love it. I think it’s amazing what they do.” Finally, Mandel added, “I think it was good, I think it was entertaining. I don’t know if it’s at the level Season 21 is looking for. It felt like a musical recital from a high school to me.”

Veronika Goroshkova

The second performance was from aerialist Veronika Goroshkova, who was one of Vergara’s Golden Buzzers during the Auditions. She did another wild routine, this time set to Taylor Swift‘s “The Fate of Ophelia.”

“Now you know why I gave her the Golden Buzzer. There is no one like her,” Vergara raved. “The fascinating thing about me for you is you make it seem so easy, so effortless.”

Mandel called Veronika “amazing” and said no other aerialist on the show has been as “graceful” as her. Mel B. added, “What else can I say? Everybody’s said everything. You were that powerful, the sponge of my microphone popped off. Graceful. Just brilliant.”

Bety

Just days after celebrating her 18th birthday, Bety hit the stage for a performance of TK TK. Bety was one of Mel B.’s callback acts who made the Quarterfinals after her second chance performance, and now her fate is in America’s hands.

Bety sang Sam Smith’s “Fire on Fire” for the Live Show. “You know I’m a massive fan of yours. Your voice is like velvet,” Mel said. “I do think you played it a little bit too safe tonight. I know your vocal range is so wide, but it was beautiful.”

Vergara told Bety she already looks like a “big star” on stage. “You wanted to do this your whole life and it shows in your performance. I love it,” she gushed. Meanwhile, Mandel said Bety is “one of the best singers” on the season, but admitted, “That song doesn’t have a ton of range. You have a ton of range. I love your audition so much more than this.”

Come Here

Come Here, a dance group, took the stage next. Heading into the big night, the group dealt with some setbacks as their choreographer had a prior commitment and couldn’t make it to L.A. until just 12 hours before showtime.

The routine got a standing ovation from all three judges. “What a unique blend of contemporary and ballet, very original choreography,” Mandel said. “You’re amazing, you deserve to be here.”

Vergara added, “Breathtaking. It was amazing. It was perfection. No tricks, no flips, it’s just a unit.” Mel B. said she thought the routine was “absolutely incredible,” and it even seemed like she was going to press the Golden Buzzer for a second after a brief side conversation with Mandel. However, she held off for a future performance.

Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm

Music duo Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm were one of Cowell’s callback acts. They came to the Live Shows hoping to show a new level of confidence with a performance of “I Swear.”

The judges cringed through the performance, and Mel B. even hit her red buzzer to signify that she was not impressed. “You guys can sing, you can harmonize,” Mandel began. “I think Simon said it in the package and I think he’s right … it takes experience and time. I think you’re going to be great. I think you’re going to do well. But I feel it’s just about experience. The nerves are kind of showing.”

Mel B. said, “I actually felt I did you a favor. I think you need a lot more time, a lot more experience, and at this point in the competition, this should be your best. I should be able to feel the hunger, the passion. It was just like you were taking a walk on Malibu beach without a care in the world. I didn’t see it.” She urged the guys to practice and come back with “more determination.”

Vergara had to agree with Mel and Mandel that Nyjah and Zyah played it too safe and needed more experience. “I think you need to keep working and follow your dream because you guys are good,” she concluded.

Geno Ploeger

Magician Geno Ploeger was up next. After previously working with AGT winner Mat Franco, Geno is now ready to make a name for himself. Mandel warned him during his audition that he needed to do something more original, and he came ready to show that off.

“I don’t even have words,” Mel B. said afterwards. Vergara raved, “This was original. I’m so glad you paid attention to what Howie told you. This feels like you. It suits you. This is how you have to keep doing it.”

Finally, Mandel gushed, “I said if you come back, you do you, something I have never seen. You. Did. You.”

Patrox

Cowell called Patrox “one of the most original acts we’ve ever seen” when he auditioned, and he showed off his unique backwards dance skills once again.

“I think it’s so clever what you do. I don’t really fully understand what the hell is happening, but it’s fun,” Vergara said. “To make something like that work on a stage like this is not easy.”

Mel B. admitted she liked that Patrox is “so excited,” but again, she said she didn’t understand the concept of his dancing and backwards replay. Mandel jumped in to say, “I think what you do is incredibly unique. It’s a trick. It’s an amazing trick. I applaud you.”

Nene Royal

Teenage rocker Nene Royal took the stage next. After getting through to the Quarterfinals as one of Mandel’s callback acts, she was ready to prove she belonged, especially since her audition went so viral.

Is she wearing a painted t-shirt with her own name on it? #AGT pic.twitter.com/Bx9hfM03iq

— AGT Time Podcast 🏆🏆 (@agttimepod) August 26, 2026

After Nene’s performance of “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden, Mandel addressed NBC directly, saying, “Give her the $1 million. Right now!” Vergara said, “I think you can really win this competition. You can sing and play that guitar. No wonder everybody on the street asks me about you!”

Mel could barely get a word in edgewise over the loud screams of the audience. “You are just the most humblest, sweet, young lady, and then you come out on this stage and it’s a different vibe,” she applauded.

Vergara urged her to push the Golden Buzzer, and Mel B. said, “I love really good vocals. I’m a 90s girl. I’m into pop music. That kind of music is not my vibe. But your vocals are on point, your guitar is on point, your look, your energy, your vibe … how could I not do this?!” And with that, Nene is in the Finals!

Mackenzie Sol

Mackenzie Sol, one of Mel B.’s audition Golden Buzzers, returned to the stage next. He wanted to do something different for the Live Shows, so he sang Tate McRae’s “You Broke Me First,” and got emotional at the end of the performance.

“That was so good,” Mel B. promised. “That was everything. The feelings, the trills, the vocals, the voice, the everything. That was just … yeah.” Vergara told Mackenzie, “I think the girls are going to go crazy with you. So handsome, such a beautiful energy, such a beautiful voice. I loved your audition and I love you tonight.”

Mandel said she hopes people vote for Mackenzie, and Mel jumped in to add, “I really, really, really hope people vote for you!” Mandel also made sure Mackenzie knew he “rose to the occasion” of having to perform after Nene.

Brad & Tracy

Extreme danger act (and married couple) Brad and Tracy came with another death-defying routine next. Mel was so grossed out by Brad’s sword-swallowing trick that she pushed her red buzzer and turned away.

The act did not quite resonate and fell very flat, although Mandel did give a standing ovation. “The energy and the showmanship … you cant even put into words what we just saw,” he said. “It is so bad, it is amazing.”

Vergara added, “I could not stop thinking about what your neighbors think about you two. You guys are scary. Tracy, you should be in a scary movie. You’re perfect, your acting, your delivery. It’s amazing. I don’t know if this is good, if it’s bad. We can’t stop looking at you guys, so I guess it’s a good thing.”

Mel admitted that “this is a genre where people do things to themselves like that,” but said, “I find it more comedic. I do like the vibe. But just … why?”

Butter & Grit

The final performance of the night was from singing duo Butter and Grit.

“Your vocals have got exponentially more than amazing. That song, and it’s an original … I love your friendship, I love your vibe, America needs to vote for you,” Mel B. gushed.

Vergara said she loved Butter and Grit’s original songs. “They feel like they’re already hits, that they’ve been hits. I really love your friendship and relationship,” she added. Mandel concluded, “There’s nothing more America than that type of music and the way you sing it.”

America’s Got Talent, Season 21, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8/7c, NBC