Astrid, a 34-year-old choir director from Australia, traveled a significant distance to present an utterly unique concept on the America’s Got Talent stage. Introducing herself as the possible director of “the biggest choir in the world,” the former high school music teacher immediately intrigued the judges. The panel had no idea what to expect, as Astrid was not there to sing alone, but to orchestrate a spectacular, on-the-spot musical event using the most crucial component in the room: the audience itself.

The surprising audition kicked off when Astrid revealed her song choice: the iconic 1980s hit “Africa” by Toto. Her intention was to turn the entire theatre into a massive, three-part harmony choir. She quickly assigned the audience members roles, instructing the high voices to sing a “blue” part, middle voices a “green” part, and low voices a “red” part, with the lyrics conveniently displayed above them. The audience quickly caught on, enthusiastically joining in. By the time the famous chorus hit, the entire room was singing in stunning harmony, creating a truly communal and moving performance that showcased Astrid’s genius as a director.

The judges’ reactions were split, with some questioning if the act was more about the audience than the performer. However, Howie Mandel strongly disagreed, praising Astrid’s move as “really smart” because she demonstrated the capacity to get every single person singing in harmony within seconds, effectively allowing the audience to “win the show.” Despite one dissenting “no,” the majority of the panel voted in her favor, recognizing the innovative and feel-good nature of the performance. With the judges’ approval, the Australian choir director proved that her visionary idea deserved a spot in the next round.