Angelina Jordan, a 13-year-old singer from Norway, arrived on the stage of America’s Got Talent (AGT): The Champions with a history that predated her current age: she had won Norway’s Got Talent when she was only seven. A lifelong lover of jazz music, Angelina confessed that her biggest dream since she was little was to sing for Simon Cowell, and after waiting ten years, this was her moment to impress the intimidating judge. This blend of seasoned stage experience and youthful ambition set the stage for one of the most unique performances in the show’s history.
For her audition, Angelina chose to cover the epic rock masterpiece, “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, but completely transformed it. Stripping away the rock operatics and guitar solos, she delivered an incredibly unique, jazz-infused, and soulful rendition of the song. Standing barefoot and dressed simply, she used her deep, mature, and smoky voice to interpret the complex lyrics with a profound emotional intensity that belied her years. The sheer audacity of reimagining such an iconic song, coupled with her flawless and captivating vocal delivery, created a performance that was utterly mesmerizing.
The judges were left in absolute awe of her artistic vision. Alesha Dixon was the first to react, calling the performance “insane” and declaring she felt like she was “witnessing the birth of something really special—a star.” Howie Mandel was equally impressed, calling the arrangement “amazing” and noting he had never heard the song done in that version before. Heidi Klum was so moved by the unique talent and the performance’s potential to change Angelina’s life forever that she enthusiastically slammed the Golden Buzzer, sending the Norwegian prodigy straight to the finals with a unanimous, emotional vote.
