On Tuesday, Vergara tweeted that the emotional performance was "a great way to end the night!!! The Stockton, California, native spoke about his mother's . 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. He continued: "There is something very, very special about you. As passionate fans of these shows, we provide news, analysis and fan engagement on Americas Got Talent, Britains Got Talent, The Voice, The X Factor, American Idol, The Four, The Masked Singer, The Worlds Best and its contestants.America's Got Talent 2020https://goo.gl/e12UJ8America's Got Talent News \u0026 Recapshttps://goo.gl/e12UJ8 He's a young man from Stockton who's transcending boundaries and breaking down barriers for generations to come. Everybody has to hear it. 'America's Got Talent' Winners: Where Are They Now? Danielle's presence was definitely felt. Brandon Leake has made it clear he's willing to take that leap. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. "I had a nightmare that I would be 90 years old doing this show and nobody would be watching it, judge Simon Cowell said while looking back to the empty Pasadena Civic Auditorium. You don't have to be this hardened individual who steps in there and does this crazy competitive work. Let's find out#GoldenBuzzer #BrandonLeake . Poet Brandon Leake, AGT Season 15 winner: The journey started one of two ways. I'm all too familiar with how some family reunions only ever take place on graveyard grass, and a hole can be a safe haven for a soul in this mortal game of hide and go seek. You give the same effort of performance and excellence for 10 people as you do for 10,000. He finished ahead of Josh Blue but behind Kodi Lee, eliminating him from the competition. Brandon Leake's Quarterfinals performance in Episode 1515 consisted of reciting a spoken word poem about mother love and racial injustice. This pursuit led to Brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed himself. Everybody else is pretty much irrelevant. Very much she's here with me now, Brandon answered. He received enough votes from the Superfans to enter the Top 3 of the night. "I can feel your pain; I know what this is. His new book of poems, Unraveling, came out in March 2022, showcasing his singular artistry yet again. It's no exaggeration to say thatAmerica's Got Talentfans had never seen anyone like Brandon Leake. "Normally death don't really bother me, I'm from southside Stockton. This show is about talent as much as it is about story. Cowell called his act an "amazing tribute." Brandon had explained that he had a fourteen-day old daughter and a sister whom he loved very much. S15NBC NBC Insider: How did you discover spoken-word poetry? I know what this is. Read More 'AGT': Poet Brandon Leake wins star-studded finale with Duchess Meghan, Blake Shelton. I wish he could've been here," Vergara said. 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. Now, Leake is a poetry maven who tours the country. I shouldn't be judging it. He also . Congratulations to Brandon Leake for WINNING Season 15 of America's Got Talent! UTA Signs 'America's Got Talent' Winner Brandon Leake. Tearing up at the powerful performance, Vergara was speechless immediately after, as judges Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell gave a standing ovation, saying simply, "Wow." "It is not our most dire moments that define us, but instead how we respond to them. Go behind-the-scenes, stay on top of breaking news, hang with the stars, and much more. He was the winner of the competition, claiming the $1,000,000 prize, a new car, and the headlining of a show in Las Vegas. He realised his talent and decided to do a US solo tour, performing his poetry in 12 states over 40 showss. Just be you. Published on July 1, 2020 11:34 AM. Following his victory just a year before, Leake returned to theAGTstage for a special guest performance during Season 16. Howie and Heidi are amazing, but he's the boss! The then 4-year-old adored being a big brother and couldn't wait for all the fun they'd have together. He returned for America's Got Talent: All-Stars where he finished in 2nd place in his Preliminary week. Leake, who is AGT's first-ever spoken word poet to compete, was among the standout performances of the night with his moving poem. "I think just aside whatever this contest is and this talent show is, it's probably the clearest vision of what is going on today than what I have ever heard. Or you could say it started in college after the passing of one of my best friends. "She's here with me now," he said of Danielle Marie Gibson, who died in 1997 at only 8 months old. first episode of Season 15 impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, How 'AGT' is reshaping season during COVID-19, from no audiences to outdoor Judge Cuts, Sofia Vergara falls in her haste to get away from shocking eye-bulging rapper, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Leake says his overall goal is to spread a message that creates a more loving and gracious society. It was a testament to the time I had spent really owning and working on my craft. I shouldn't be judging it. How were you able to reach a place where you can be so personal in your work? "And here we are.". "I'll say in the moment of doing it on the national stage, it wasn't immensely difficult due to the years of practice beforehand," said Leake. ET on NBC. Table of Biography [ show] Early Life Brandon Leake was born on May 4, 1992. The reason I became so much better was actually 'cause I failed making the show the first time. 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. Brandon is also the founder and CEO of Called to Move, an organization that aids youth in self-actualizing and personally developing through the art of poetry. At present, he is 30 years old and his sun sign is Taurus. Don't go out there trying to be somebody else. Relive all of Brandon's full performances from the season. Get The America's Got Talent App: http://bit.ly/AGTAppDownload Subscribe for More: http://bit.ly/AGTSub America's Got Talent Tuesdays 8/7c on NBC! Stream on Peacock: https://pck.tv/3cCQGhHAMERICA'S GOT TALENT ON SOCIALLike AGT: https://www.facebook.com/agtFollow AGT: https://twitter.com/agtAGT Instagram: http://instagram.com/agtFind America's Got Talent trailers, full episode highlights, previews, promos, clips, and digital exclusives here.NBC ON SOCIAL:YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nbcTwitter: http://Twitter.com/NBCFacebook: http://Facebook.com/NBCInstagram: http://instagram.com/nbcABOUT AMERICA'S GOT TALENTAmericas Got Talent,\" NBCs No. And season 15 will conclude on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, when a winner will be crowned during the scheduled finale. The activist also liaises with Stockton Police Department, advocating for reform of their use-of-force policies to better the relationship between minorities and the police. 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!' 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. Brandon Leake is an African-American spoken word poet, educator, and motivational speaker. Brandon Leake's Finals performance in Episode 1521 consisted of reciting a spoken word poem in the form of a prayer to his daughter Aaliyah. Just a raw heart beating in front of us. STOCKTON (CBS13) Putting yourself out there may not be easy, but sending a message that builds unity may be worth it. But instead of giving up, he went back to the drawing board, honed his craft, and tried again three years later stronger than ever. Brandon Leake, the spoken-word poet who won the 2020 edition of America's Got Talent, has signed with UTA for all areas. The poem touched every single Judge, but particularly Howie Mandel, who awarded Leake with a Golden Buzzer. This is a very difficult thing to me to judge. His tear-jerking tale of family tragedy not only earned judge Howie Mandels Golden Buzzer, but host Terry Crews told him, Youre about to put spoken word on the map like its never been before. Brandon, whose daughter was born just 14 days before his AGT audition, explained that he had turned to poetry years ago as a means of coping with his teen angst: I let all that frustration out. Brandon received enough votes to advance to the Semifinals in Episode 1516 instead of CA Wildcats and Divas & Drummers of Compton. The fourth and final slate of contestants performed in the live quarterfinal rounds of America's Got Talent. NBC Insider is your all-access pass to some of your favorite NBC shows. Brandon Leake's auditionin Episode 1506 consisted of recitinga spoken word poem about his late sister. And even in this very direct competition, we were all still rooting for each other. He received a standing ovation from Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Mandel. After graduating, Leake joined a slam poetry team in Sacramento. 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. 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. SOFIA VERGARA: My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away. I gave her a hug afterwards and said, Hey, I didn't make it my first year, so keep trying. 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. SOFIA VERGARA: Yeah. Brandon Leake is the first spoken word poet act to receive the, In Brandon's Finals performance, it was mentioned that he auditioned for, Brandon is Howie Mandel's second (third if counting. "My older brother, Rafael, was killed in Colombia," she said. You could either say it started in middle school with girls who were cute, and that's how I first started writing poetry. The Season 15 winner was the show's first-ever spoken word poet to compete. It's either love or pain, one of the two. We feel your pain, we feel your love.". God blessed me with really long arms, so I just put my phone outside the water and type. Leake actually didn't make it to the AGT stage when he first auditioned back in 2017. But, there is something so different about Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake and the countless others," Leake said. Leake proceeded to vocalizethe painful processof mourning and accepting the death of his youngersister, Danielle Marie Gibson, who died in 1997, the same year Vergara lost her brother. There's something very, very special about you. Brandon Leake is a poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. Read on. KYLIE MAR: But Howie Mandel was most moved by Brandon's audition, as the judge ultimately decided to give him his Golden Buzzer. After Shevon belted an original ballad that she wrote for Jamie, Through the Good and Bad, and received unanimous yeses, she and Jamie (who is now her husband) elatedly revealed to Terry backstage that they will soon be new parents themselves. But it was his first time, I believe, being moved by it the way I do it. 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. With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. There were probably a lot of people who doubted that a poet could win, but Brandon is the real deal. Then, eight months later, Danielle passed away. 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. Spoiler alert! "America's Got Talent" headed into uncharted territory Tuesday. March 1, 2021 / 6:45 AM In his performance, Leake recalled the death of his sister in the late 90s, and his grief in the wake of her passing. What made you decide to audition for America's Got Talent? Below, NBC Insider chats with Leake about his experience on AGT, where he writes his best poems, and more. "Love is the most vulnerable thing one will ever have," Leake recited, "And you must learn to hold onto it loosely so when it leaves it won't exit so painfully.". There was really nowhere else to go. His words captured the judges and drew a standing ovation. "This is going to be much harder for them.". "There was something more, so raw. America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. The same way the Latino woman from Florida can relate to a young black kid from Cali," said Leake. Male Klum, Vergara and Mandel have all spoken to PEOPLE about Cowell's recovery. Brandon's daughter was born just 14 days before hisAGTaudition. Stream now on Peacock.ALL of Brandon Leake's Performances on Season 15 of AGT! It's my opportunity. His sister passed away when he was only 4-years-old. He returned for America's Got Talent: All-Stars where he finished in 2nd place in his Preliminary week. 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. 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. Howie Mandel gave him a standing ovation. It's just me and my thoughts. Mother was like a zombie. Brandon blew away judge Howie Mandel in particular after he performed a piece about the loss of his sister. Brandon Leakeisa poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. You also don't have to be this overly enthusiastic person who's chasing after everybody's attention. Sofia Vergara was emotionally moved by this poetic America's Got Talent audition. 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. Winner, Preliminaries For his audition, Leake presented an emotional piece about mourning his late sister. TERRY CREWS: You have received the Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel. Hours after the accident, Cowell underwent surgery during which he had a "number of fusions and metal rod" put into his back, a source previously told PEOPLE. - (SINGING) Praise be the day. WINNER Brandon Leake All Performances on America's Got Talent!Audition - 0:05Quarterfinals - 5:03Semifinals - 10:01Finale - 14:59#AGT #AmericasGotTalent #Tal. Don't go out there chasing anybody else. He went on to study at Simpson University in Redding, where as well as writing poetry, he played basketball onSimpson'sNCAA Division II team. "But it was very beautiful for me," Vergara said of the poem. One of the best days of Brandon's life was when his sister, Danielle Marie Gibson, was born. Relive all of Brandon's full performances from the season. Get The America's. 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. My kids don't bother me when I'm in the shower, my wife doesn't need anything from me when I'm in the shower. Brandon's sister, who was four years younger than him, died at just 8 months old. : How did you discover spoken-word poetry? Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara all gave him standing ovations. The Modern Family actress then said that Leake's poem reminded her of her late brother. Creator and Executive Producer Simon Cowell is back at the star-studded judges' table with fan-favorite comedian Howie Mandel. We feel your love and you moved me to do this.". 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