Last night Australia’s Got Talent delivered its penultimate semi-final.
Grand Finalists
aKrobatiKa – Acro-Dance Troupe
aKrobatiKa are the next two-time Golden Buzzer act through to the Grand Final, after wowing Manu Feildel in auditions and now guest judge Todd McKenney with their high flying, high concept acro-dance routines.
aKrobatiKa choreographer Jo Cotterill describes the Central Coast-based troupe as “a diverse range of young performing artists from six to 30 years old, brought together by our love of acrobatics and dance.”
Tonight, the 49 self-described misfits took to the stage in a Lost City of Atlantis-themed spectacular.
- Manu Feildel: “If I had the Golden Buzzer, I would press it again and again and again!”
- Todd McKenney: “I was brought up in an acrobatics studio and that was my childhood up there. I know how hard it is to have that many dancers dancing that precisely. I want to acknowledge your choreographer, you have an amazing choreographer, like absolutely amazing.”
UMIT BALI – Comedian
Fijian Indian comedian Umit Bali was 13-years-old when his family emigrated to Australia. Now 35, single and still living at home, the happy-go-lucky guy says life in Sydney’s western suburbs can sometimes be tough.
“But when you reflect on how life was in Fiji, it’s really good… like, we’re still poor but we’re upper class poor.”
Umit started doing stand-up right after high school – and his self-deprecating style of comedy has been a big hit with audiences, but he still can’t get his parents to a show.
- Shane Jacobson: “The crowd love you and so do I. As soon as I hear you laugh I just want to be your friend. You have an energy on stage that is so addictive.”
- Nicole Scherzinger: “You have such a great light and energy about you, I love your laugh. I’ve never seen another Indian Fijian comic and I think you play so great to your Aussie audience and they seem to really love you.”
- Manu: “There’s the comedians that take the mickey out of others and comedians who take the mickey out of themselves and you take the mickey out of yourself and you do it very well.”
- Todd: “With comedy they often say it’s not the destination, it’s the journey and your journey is so adorable. It’s because you feel like a friend and I think you feel like a friend to Australia. I love you.”
Also tonight:
JAEL WENA – Singer
- Lucy Durack: “You looked and sounded divine and your confidence has massively grown between your audition and today, well done.”
- Nicole: “I mean… she’s 13 years old and singing Whitney Houston and she killed it! Sometimes when you sang tonight, I could hear there was a quality in your voice and your tone that actually reminded me of Whitney.”
- Shane: “At 13, your maturity on stage and your vocal control is amazing.”
- Todd: “Can I just give you a little bit of advice to take in to what is going to be a stellar career for you, when you have the luxury of getting to work with other people on stage just bring them in and be aware of it, it will translate more to us. But that’s just putting a cherry on the top of a very sweet cake, congratulations.”
JOSH NORBIDO – Magician
- Nicole: “Oh my gosh, my mind grapes are totally blown right now. I’ve never seen a trick like that before. That was amazing.”
- Manu: “I always like everybody else try to find a way to understand how you did it this is impossible to find out and if you’re going to make it to the Grand Final, I want to be the assistant!”
- Shane: “Please do us all a favour and don’t become an ordinary person, that was a fantastic magic trick.”
- Todd: “I’ve done some work with magicians and I know that the close up stuff is often so much harder than the big stuff back on the stage, but I was watching your hands and you could be a surgeon with the calmness. You were amazing, congratulations.”
AKIRA – Physical Comedy
- Shane: “After a while I realised that everything we were seeing was pretty much identical to what you did in your audition and we’re in the semi-finals and you didn’t step up. You’re bringing joy to people so it’s been well worth the trip, so for that thank you.”
- Lucy: “That was silly and joyful and fun, I loved the whole look of it, well done.”
- Nicole: “Look, you’re probably not going to win AGT with that performance however you could win over the hearts and buns of this nation with a workout video and I’m going to be the first to sign up.”
- Todd: “I’ve been single for a very long time and I found it a little bit hot but I can see why you had to leave your own country to perform that act!”
D. MINOR – Rapper
- Nicole: “It was a home run, I loved it. It’s my new anthem that song.”
- Manu: “I think your message is very strong and I love that, but I feel that your song at the audition was excellent and this was just good and I’m not sure if it was as good as your audition, sorry mate.”
- Lucy: “I believe the technical terminology is… a complete banger.”
- Todd: “It is the first time I’ve ever been asked to comment on rap. For someone like me who is jazz hands and glitter tits, it takes a special performance for me to listen, and rap… sometimes it can just wash over me but I did listen. I think you’re amazing.”
