27; 30 "My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away," an emotional Vergara said. Brandon received enough votes to advance to the Semifinals in Episode 1516 instead of CA Wildcats and Divas & Drummers of Compton. Congratulations to Brandon Leake for WINNING Season 15 of America's Got Talent! He is the first novelty act to win the competition. All-Stars He also . The first contestant to perform poetry on AGT, Leake prefaced his spoken word piece by dedicating it to his sister. SPOKEN word performer and civil rights activist Brandon Leake is the winner of Americas Got Talent season 15. [2] NBC Insider: How did you discover spoken-word poetry? Male That's the cost of love: caring for someone's so much that you can't imagine living life without them, staring at a grave. I handicapped myself for years because I was too concerned with how people looked at me, how people perceived me. Then, eight months later, Danielle passed away. He's a young man from Stockton who's transcending boundaries and breaking down barriers for generations to come. Season 15 I gave her a hug afterwards and said, Hey, I didn't make it my first year, so keep trying. A Poet Makes Golden Buzzer History On 'America's Got Talent' . 27-year-old Brandon Leake is a spoken word poet and motivational speaker. Thesixth day of auditions, which was taped in March, marked the first episode of Season 15 impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,before countrywide lockdown orders sidelinedentertainment production. Leake, who is AGT 's first-ever spoken word poet to compete, was among the standout performances of the night with his moving poem. 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. Brandon set up the group whilst at university, and began hosting open mic nights to raise money for kids suffering from domestic abuse to go to summer camps. Everybody else is pretty much irrelevant. ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! We feel your love. Brandons audition wasnt Tuesdays only emotional moment. 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. 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.. "But it was very beautiful for me," Vergara said of the poem. "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. ", Mandel added, "I asked Brandon if his mother had heard this and he said no. Meet the Season 17 Finalists of 'America's Got Talent', 'AGT' Star Jane 'Nightbirde' Marczewski's Family Is 'Devastated by Her Passing': 'Unimaginable Loss', empty audience due to the show's health precautions. Brandon Leake is an award-winning spoken word poet, artistic educator and motivational speaker from . Poet ET) on NBC. 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. Below, NBC Insider chats with Leake about his experience on AGT, where he writes his best poems, and more. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "We are the storytellers of the generation, we are the griots of our time. He received enough votes from the Superfans to enter the Top 3 of the night. 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. Opera Singer Shocks 'America's Got Talent' Judges with Cline Dion, Ariana Grande Impressions, 'America's Got Talent' 's Heidi Klum Says 'I Might Poop Myself' from Nerves About Season 17, Howie Mandel Calls His Golden Buzzer Act the 'Most Surprising, Jaw-Dropping Moment' He's Seen on 'AGT', 'AGT' Season 17 Starts Production: 'I Could Not Be Any More Excited,' Heidi Klum Says See First Look, 'AGT: Extreme' Crowns Season 1 Champion: 'He Deserves This!' She did this really sweet poem about her relationship with Jesus. She was going to watch this live on TV tonight.". KYLIE MAR: And in an "AGT" first, no live audience was present due to coronavirus concerns. And season 15 will conclude on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, when a winner will be crowned during the scheduled finale. "My older brother, Rafael, was killed in Colombia," she said. "There was something more, so raw. Seasons Mandel gave Brandon his golden buzzer, and he went from strength to strength throughout the competition addressing topics such as the Black Lives Matter movement and his estranged father. Go behind-the-scenes, stay on top of breaking news, hang with the stars, and much more. The same way the Latino woman from Florida can relate to a young black kid from Cali," said Leake. Brandon had explained that he had a fourteen-day old daughter and a sister whom he loved very much. Brandon Leake, a 27-year-old college counselor from Stockton, California, shocked the judges with . [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. 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. Now I get the chance to be on the forefront and show the world what spoken-word can do. The new dad moved the. Don't go out there chasing anybody else. "Normally death don't really bother me, I'm from southside Stockton. ), "It's been great to have all those guest judges, but I do miss Simon. "Kind of," Leake replied. ET) on NBC. Brandon Leake We are the ones who, as I said, capture history. I shouldn't be judging it, I just want to compliment you on what you just did because it was extraordinary.". Published on July 1, 2020 11:34 AM. Brandon met his biological father for the very first time on August 31, 2017 and he married Anna on September 2, 2017. KYLIE MAR: But Howie Mandel was most moved by Brandon's audition, as the judge ultimately decided to give him his Golden Buzzer. Stream now on Peacock.ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! Brandon Leake's Quarterfinals performance in Episode 1515 consisted of reciting a spoken word poem about mother love and racial injustice. However, that didn't seem to affect the emotion in the room. In a poem used as an open letter to his father, Leake reflected on their years-long strained relationship and road to healing. I wanted to be with them, so I got a big house [in Miami, Florida] and we all lived together. How were you able to reach a place where you can be so personal in your work? "For me, it's my first time and I feel comfortable when he is with us. SIMON COWELL: Really-- this is a very difficult thing for me to judge. Brandon Leake is a poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. The reason I became so much better was actually 'cause I failed making the show the first time. Below, NBC Insider chats with Leake. 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. If you don't understand it and you're not moved by it, then you're not a human being. You don't have to be this hardened individual who steps in there and does this crazy competitive work. No music, no nothing. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more! First published on March 1, 2021 / 6:45 AM. The only consistent thing about my writing is I write best in the shower. 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. She died from an enlarged heart at only eight-months-old. He continued: "There is something very, very special about you. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dancers have World of Dance and all these other places. You deserve the world and more. 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. But when 27-year-old Stockton poet, educator, and new father Brandon Leake performed in the final slot of this weeks AGT episode, he made up for that. 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. You just have to take a deep breath and keep on going if not for yourself, then for everybody you love.". Photo: Trae Patton/NBC. After graduating, Leake joined a slam poetry team in Sacramento. Brandon Leake is the winner of the 15th season of America's Got Talent. America's Got Talent Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. 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. Tonight's poem is actually an ode to my sister, Brandon explained. Howie and Heidi are amazing, but he's the boss! I actually didn't think about that at all. I've been ground-bound because she left Earth to go back home, amongst the stars right next to God. Leake, a former high school English teacher from Stockton, California, had welcomed his first child 14 days prior to shooting the tryout. Do you have any advice for the Acts competing on AGT Season 17? 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. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby. But if this pain and these memories are all that I got left of you, I won't never regret these scars. "America, sit quietly, listen and take it in.". "My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away," she said. 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. The poem touched every single Judge, but . Brandon Leake's auditionin Episode 1506 consisted of recitinga spoken word poem about his late sister. 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 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. "I did all of this just to give you that. Brandon Leake is AGT royalty. Don't go out there trying to be somebody else. Public File for KMAX-TV / Good Day Sacramento. It's just me and my thoughts. Acclaimed actress and international superstar Sofia Vergara joins as a new judge this season alongside returning judge and global fashion icon Heidi Klum. 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. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. (Kelly Clarkson and Kenan Thompson previously served as season 15 guest judges during the live shows. Winner, Preliminaries There was another poet who was trying out with me. Brandon Leake (born May 4, 1992) is a spoken word poet, educator and motivational speaker and the winner of the fifteenth season of America's Got Talent. But, there is something so different about Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and the countless others," Leake said. She fell asleep and just didn't wake up," Leake told CBS13. 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. Just be you. 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. There's something very, very special about you. And then I just keep my shoulders from getting wet. Or you could say it started in college after the passing of one of my best friends. "And we won. "It's amazing to me that on Season 15, it's the first time that we're hearing somebody of spoken word," Mandel said. Brandon Leake, AGT Season 15 winner: The journey started one of two ways. Brandon is the first poet to pass the audition round. This was a long time coming. WINNER Brandon Leake All Performances on America's Got Talent!Audition - 0:05Quarterfinals - 5:03Semifinals - 10:01Finale - 14:59#AGT #AmericasGotTalent #Tal. Brandon Leake is an award-winning spoken word poet, artistic educator and motivational speaker from Stockton, California. Brandon was announced as the winner ahead of Broken Roots, Cristina Rae, Roberta Battaglia and Alan Silva, winning $1 million, a new KIA, and the headlining of a show in Las Vegas. Since then, Leake has worked as an English teacher at Edison High School and an academic advisor at Delta College in Stockton. The fourth and final slate of contestants performed in the live quarterfinal rounds of America's Got Talent. He received enough votes to enter the Top 5 instead of Archie Williams. 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 also be great. I need you to return home my Pookie, to be your mom.' STOCKTON (CBS13) Putting yourself out there may not be easy, but sending a message that builds unity may be worth it. Brandon returned as a guest performer in Episode 1610 performing a spoken word piece about his hometown of Stockton. The 27-year-old from Stockton stole hearts on the national stage by telling a very personal story about the death of his baby. Leake was born into a single parent home with his mother, Carla on the south side of Stockton, California. After the show, Mandel spoke with PEOPLE and praised Leake on the "imperative and important" message of his poem. By McKenzie. How communal the talent pool became. Singers can go to The Voice, as well as America's Got Talent. Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel were back again without a guest judge or Simon Cowell, who broke his back on Aug. 8 at his Malibu, California, home when he fell off an electric bike. "America's Got Talent" returns on NBCJuly 14 for the last audition show of the season. I could finally say spoken-word has a place in this artistry world. 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. Judge Sofia Vergara, whose older brother Rafael was murdered the same year that Danielle passed away, was in tears, telling Brandon, I can feel your pain. What an amazing tribute. On Tuesday, Vergara tweeted that the emotional performance was "a great way to end the night!!! 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. Singers can go to, I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. Brandon blew away judge Howie Mandel in particular after he performed a piece about the loss of his sister. Until Leake, 27, burst onto the scene in June with an emotional poem dedicated to his sister, who died as a baby, a spoken-word artist had never even appeared on the show, let alone captivate. 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. Last week, a source told PEOPLE that "Simon's healing has been going well," and "he's recovering at home." His sister passed away when he was only 4-years-old. Just a raw heart beating in front of us. "And here we are.". 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. Brandon Leake's ode to his sister turned an audience-free "AGT" into a night to remember. Sex The last 11 acts to compete for a spot in the semi-finals were roaster Alex Hooper, hand-balancing siblings Bello Sisters, spoken word artist (and Mandel's Golden Buzzer winner) Brandon Leake, singers Broken Roots, cheerleaders C.A. Brandon's sister, who was four years younger than him, died at just 8 months old. "There's something very, very special about you. It's amazing to me that on Season 15, its the first time that we're hearing somebody of spoken word. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He received a standing ovation from Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Mandel. You also don't have to be this overly enthusiastic person who's chasing after everybody's attention. Brandon Leake's Semifinals performance in Episode 1517 consisted of reciting a spoken word poem in the form of letters to his dad about how he missed out on many of Brandon's major life moments, eventually making peace. Age (at audition) Mother was like a zombie. I am so grateful to be in this country. 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. You are so amazing. Exclusive:How 'AGT' is reshaping season during COVID-19, from no audiences to outdoor Judge Cuts. ", "Words seem to move people and myself more than anything, he's got everything," Mandel, 64, said of his Golden Buzzer winner. 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. Watch thousands of hours of hit movies and shows, plus daily news, sports, and pop culture updates. 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. Year after year, \"America's Got Talent\" features an impressive array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying to win America's hearts and a $1 million prize.America's Got Talent is available now on Peacock, the new streaming service from NBCUniversal. With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. "Tonight's poem is actually an ode to my sister. If people missed this show tonight, they need to watch this on YouTube and need to share it. "America's Got Talent" headed into uncharted territory Tuesday. Everybody has to hear it. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories, "What an amazing tribute," said Cowell. Cowell called his act an "amazing tribute." 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. Were you the first poet that producers had seen? The Season 15 winner was the show's first-ever spoken word poet to compete. 'America's Got Talent' Winners: Where Are They Now? ", "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. Now, Leake is a poetry maven who tours the country. 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. 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