America's Got Talent judges blown away by Opera singer Lys Agnes who comes out as strong frontrunner after semi-final ~ TVSeries+

By JADE WATKINS

Frontrunner: Opera singer Lys Agnes came out as one of the top frontrunners after the America's Got Talent semi final, last night

They often tout the performances they witness as the 'best that they have ever seen'.

But all three judges were blown out of the water by opera singer Lys Agnes'

performance during last night's America's Got Talent semi final.

So much so, that the beautiful warbler came out as one of the frontrunners of the reality television competition, which will decide it's winner in two weeks time.

Warble: The exotic beauty belted out a tune much to the delight of the judges and the crowd

But Judge Howie Mandel perhaps took his praise a little too far, leading Lys to become shocked when an accidental suggestive slip came out of his mouth.

Mandel told Agnes: 'There aren't even words to describe your beauty and your looks and your sound… You're classic beauty - do you know what I want to do to you?'

After protests from the other judges - and shock from Lys - Howie insisted he meant nothing crude by his comments, saying: 'I want to get her votes!'

Standing ovation: Lys got a standing ovation from all three of the judges - Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel, left to right

Luckily the other judges backed her too, with Sharon Osbourne saying she 'took my breath away', adding that 'It's overwhelming', while Piers Morgan called it a 'theatrical tour de force'.

Piers, 46, called last night's show 'probably the best semi-final we've ever had'.

The latest round saw performances that the judges could not rave about enough - yet with one that they hated so much they even asked if it was a joke.

Say what? Judge Howie Mandel perhaps took his praise a little too far, leading Lys to become shocked when an accidental suggestive slip came out of his mouth

Of one group competing, futuristic dancers Team illuminate, Sharon gushed: 'This is a hundred million dollar act. Vegas you will own in a couple of years - remember me!'

Meanwhile, BMX rider Matt Wilhelm pulled off another amazing demonstration - until he fell while trying to get back on his bike after a stunning front wheel spin.

Hitting the deck: Until he fell while trying to get back on his bike after a stunning front wheel spin

He insisted, however, that it was fitting for the story he was trying to tell of his background being bullied as a kid.

'My whole life, my whole story, is that when you fall down you pick yourself back up again,' he said, defiantly after his fall.

Sharon appeared to agree, telling him: 'I'm really sad that you made a mistake and fell, but hey, we all do that. It shows that we are real, we are life, and it's a part of life.'

Mixed reviews: Piers raved about Zuma Zuma, but Sharon and Howie thought it was not their best performance

Piers added: 'We have to be brutally honest, and to me that wasn't good enough tonight.'

Piers raved about Zuma Zuma, but Sharon and Howie thought it was not their best performance.

Howie criticized it for being 'a slower, more lethargic act', adding: 'I don't think you stepped it up. But I think you're amazing.'

But as well as being critical, the judges also came out with some of the highest praise ever given on the show.

Mixed reviews: Piers raved about Zuma Zuma, but Sharon and Howie thought it was not their best performance

Piers added: 'We have to be brutally honest, and to me that wasn't good enough tonight.'

Piers raved about Zuma Zuma, but Sharon and Howie thought it was not their best performance.

Howie criticized it for being 'a slower, more lethargic act', adding: 'I don't think you stepped it up. But I think you're amazing.'

But as well as being critical, the judges also came out with some of the highest praise ever given on the show.

Fireworks: POPLYFE performed an electrifying rendition of The Beatles' 'Come Together'

Success: Sharon told the group: 'I honestly think that I'm looking at the winner here - I know I am. You are very, very special and unique'

When POPLYFE performed The Beatles' 'Come Together', Sharon told them: 'I honestly think that I'm looking at the winner here - I know I am. You are very, very special and unique.'

Howie also told them 'You are stars - that was a headlining act', while Piers said: 'We are watching I think a band that within the next two or three years will be a huge band in this country.'

Just when it seemed the praise could get no higher, Sharon said of dancers Team illuminate: 'I just can't believe that we have you with us - you should have been famous for like forever ago. This is a hundred million dollar act. Vegas you will own in a couple of years - remember me!'

More success: Miami All Stars also scored rave reviews from the judges

Howie also called their act 'a million dollars', adding: 'I love you. You deserve votes.'

Along with them, Howie said his favourite dancers were Miami All Stars, with Sharon calling their choreography 'perfection', adding: 'You are all so talented.'

Piers went even one better and said: 'That was my favourite performance of the whole night. That was terrific.'

Tears: Singer Daniel Joseph Baker got emotional as his parents were in the audience watching him perform

Meanwhile Sharon called singer Daniel Joseph Baker, who got emotional as his parents were in the audience watching him perform, 'as camp as Christmas', adding: 'I love you, I really do.'

Piers called him 'a pure Vegas showman' while Howie said: 'You are a star. Just be yourself - you're wonderful.'

Sharon also praised young dancer Beth Ann Robinson for 'another flawless, flawless performance', telling her: 'Talent-wise, you've got it.'

Flawless: Sharon praised young dancer Beth Ann Robinson for 'another flawless, flawless performance'

Cheers: The young lady was clearly happy with the judges' response

Howie called her 'beautiful' and 'mesmerizing' and 'beyond your years'.

However, he warned her: 'The question is, how will America feel that that stacks up to everything else on offer?'

Sharon also praised impressionist Melissa Villasenor for doing 'the impossible' by making Piers laugh, and he then admitted: 'I find you funny, I think America finds you funny - I think you're a very talented person.'

Clever: Sharon also praised impressionist Melissa Villasenor for doing 'the impossible' by making Piers laugh

Howie said he was 'a huge fan' and said: 'You deserve to be here.'

Meanwhile when Sharon said she 'felt like part of the team' with the West Springfield Dance Team, who performed as a group of ugly zombies and her co-host Piers cheekily quipped at her: 'You wouldn't need any make-up.'

But the biggest shock of the night came with the Sandou Trio Russian Bar, whose previous death-defying stunts Piers called 'the most dangerous and exciting thing we’ve seen in a long time' and were expecting to take it even further.

Gang of ghouls: Sharon said she 'felt like part of the team' with the West Springfield Dance Team, who performed as a group of ugly zombies

Striking: The group wore radical make-up and zombie eyes

Instead, they completely changed their act - with a slow ballad sung around a piano that slowly moved on ropes while others twirled around it.

Howie was so shocked she asked if they were 'going for comedy' while Piers called it 'the biggest suicide mission we've ever had on the show'.

'We didn't vote you guys through to hear you singing badly upside down on a piano,' he told them. 'I've got to ask you, what were you thinking?'

Let down: The Sandou Trio Russian Bar let the judges down after completely changing act

source: dailymail