An “America’s Got Talent” auditionee got Sofia Vergara’s golden buzzer with a spectacular performance of the song “Tomorrow.” The 48-year-old “Modern Family” star pressed the golden buzzer for Jimmie Herrod following his goosebumps-inducing performance. The Portland native sang “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie,” which Simon Cowell described as his “worst song in the world.”
Cowell, 61, revealed to the AGT hopeful that his music choice was Simon’s worst audition song. He suggested him to perform another song, but Herrod didn’t have anything else planned, so he just went on with it. It proved to be the right move, as the candidate captivated the judges and the crowd with his passionate interpretation. Herrod’s performance so impressed Cowell that he changed his mind about the Broadway ballad.
“Wow, wow, it’s not my worst song anymore, unbelievable,” Cowell exclaimed after his performance. Judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell all gave Herrod a standing ovation. Vergara, on the other hand, remained seated and duped everyone into thinking she was unimpressed with the audition.”Um, I have to say that I didn’t like it that much,” she told me.
The crowd booed the comment until Vergara said, “But I loved it!” She then pressed the golden buzzer, sending Herrod directly to the live shows. As gold confetti fell on the singer, Vergara approached the stage to congratulate him, telling him that she simply “had to” and that he deserved it. When she returned to the dais, Cowell admitted that he fell for her act and mistakenly assumed she didn’t appreciate the performance.
“I didn’t think you liked him; you weren’t standing up. “I thought you hated it,” Cowell informed her. “That was unbelievable, that was incredible.”In an interview with PEOPLE, Vergara raved about Herrod’s unforgettable audition. “Jimmie’s performance was so amazing that I was utterly blown away. “His voice, his presence, the song—it was all incredible!” she recounted. “Every part of me knew I needed to press the golden buzzer. “I absolutely loved his performance, and he deserved it!”
Herrod, who worked as an adjunct professor of voice in a jazz school after getting his music degree, is a seasoned performer who began touring with the band Pink Martini in 2017. His debut single with the band is titled “Exodus,” which he recorded in 2018.He has also worked in the performing arts for many years, playing the Queen of the Underworld in “The Ballad of Ishtar” and the Extraordinary Girl in “American Idiot.” Herrod also played the Beggar Woman in “Sweeney Todd,” which he describes as his “favorite character to date.”
Herrod has been releasing song covers and original songs on social media since before she joined AGT. If his “Tomorrow” performance piqued your interest, you can listen to more of his music on Instagram. Fortunately for his followers, he has been uploading his works on the platform throughout the pandemic. In the audition phase of AGT, a contestant must receive a “yes” from at least three of the four judges to advance to the next round. If two or more judges buzz the act, they are automatically removed from the competition.
Terry Crews, the judge and host, has one chance to hit the golden buzzer. Aside from Herrod, the lucky winners of the golden buzzer this season are Nightbirde (Cowell), Northwell Nurse Choir (Mandel), and World Taekwondo (Crews). Watch Jimmie Herrod’s heartfelt performance of “Tomorrow” in the video below.
