- Military veteran Benjamin Hightower auditioned for America's Got Talent season 20.
- Performing a cover of Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club," judge Simon Cowell was speechless while watching him.
- Fans can't stop reacting to Benjamin's performance on social media.
It's not often Simon Cowell is speechless on America's Got Talent — but it turns out, Benjamin Hightower was able to do that!
As season 20 is underway for the hit NBC series, viewers got the chance to meet Benjamin on the June 10 episode. A military veteran after seven years in the Air Force, he had Simon and his fellow judges Howie Mandel, Mel B and Sofía Vergara intrigued by what talent he would show off in his audition. Benjamin told the audience he would be singing for his attempt to make it on the show — and he gave quite a performance.
As Benjamin sat in front of a keyboard, he shocked everyone with his unique rendition of Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club." But that's not all. He managed to stun Simon, with the judge just shaking his head and smiling — indicating something major about his thoughts on Benjamin's cover.
At the end of it, he even gave Benjamin a standing ovation with the rest of the audience.
"I really like you. I really do!" Simon told Benjamin in the clip posted on YouTube. "When I saw the keyboard, I thought, 'Oh god, it's gonna be something like "Stand by Me" or something we've heard a billion times.' And it wasn't ... I love that song, love your version, and I don't know. I just ... there's something about you I really like. I think you've got a great heart."
When Benjamin's incredible performance started to go viral online, fans had to share their high praise for the talent he brought to the AGT stage.
"Great personality, beautiful range, his energy is fire!! He’s a star. Some people are just born to do it and he’s definitely one of them," one person wrote in the comments. "I think this guy can sing anything. His personality and voice will make people fall in love with him. He will go a long long way ... ," another agreed. "He was born to be a performer. Amazing," a different follower added.
So, did Benjamin make it to the next round of the AGT competition? You bet he did! And now we just need to see what else he had in store for us in the music department ...
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.