The season 21 Live Show quarterfinals of America's Got Talent begin Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. on NBC, as host Terry Crews introduces the next phase of the competition live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium stage in California.
Forty-four acts have reached the quarterfinals following weeks of open auditions and callbacks. The lineup features a wide range of performers, including musicians, comedians, magicians, dancers, stunt performers, contortionists and animal trainers.
Judges Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Melanie "Mel B" Brown and Howie Mandel will watch the performances, but the ultimate outcome shifts to the audience. NBC confirmed that judges can no longer use golden buzzers, wild cards or saves to prevent contestant eliminations during the Live Shows. Viewers will cast the deciding votes, with the first set of results announced the following day on Aug. 19. Quarterfinal episodes will continue through Sept. 8.
The judges previously used the callback round to grant a second chance to 20 acts that failed to advance initially, with Cowell, Vergara, Brown and Mandel each selecting five performers to move directly to the quarterfinals.
Cowell suggested that the standard for competitors has never been higher. "I want the show to be better," Cowell told WCNC Charlotte in June. "I really hope that we find someone who’s going to do really well after the show. And I want people, ideally, to talk about what they’ve seen on the show. Otherwise, it would be boring. And if the acts didn’t get better, then there would be no point in making the show, honestly."
America's Got Talent is a long-running American reality television talent competition broadcast on NBC, an American commercial broadcast television network. The Pasadena Civic Auditorium, located in Pasadena, California, is a historic 3,000-seat performing arts center that regularly hosts major television broadcasts and entertainment events.
Producer Screenings and Audition Time Limits
While viewers see contestants take the stage in front of the celebrity panel, performers must pass several preliminary screening hurdles before performing for the judges.
"We have open call auditions virtually to reach as many people as possible," Theresa Graham, NBCUniversal's director of unscripted formats, told NBC Insider in 2022. "Anybody can sign up and have an audition with our casting team and producers. If they think that somebody is worth considering, they put them through to our executive producers. After they say yes, then the act will go to audition in front of the judges. We all see everything play out from there."
Prospective contestants can submit video auditions or participate in open calls conducted either in person or virtually. Official audition guidelines specify that individuals participating in virtual open calls are allotted up to 90 seconds to show off their skills, though regulations note that "producers reserve the right to modify audition times." Applicants submitting recorded video auditions are required to keep their clip to under two minutes.
Prohibited Items and Travel Allowances
Audition rules place strict limits on items allowed at open call venues. Although many acts incorporate open flames on television, regulations state that "fire and special rigging are not allowed at open call auditions." Competitors featuring animals must submit an Animal Information Form alongside up-to-date animal vaccination records.
Additional prohibited items at open call auditions include "coolers (unless for medical reasons), fireworks, weapons, sharp tools, mace/pepper spray, illicit drugs, alcohol, [or] props requiring fire or pyrotechnics."
For acts that advance to the judges' audition round, the production provides financial assistance for travel. Audition guidelines state that contestants traveling long distances are provided with airfare, while those living closer receive a bus ticket, train ticket or gas reimbursement for driving. NBC also provides hotel accommodations and a daily allowance for food and other expenses.
Behind the Scenes Prep and Cash Prize Payouts
Contestants must handle their own styling for their initial appearance before the judges, as the show does not provide hair and makeup support during the judges audition round and competitors are expected to arrive camera ready. However, the series does provide hair and makeup services for future competition rounds. Tonia Green, a makeup artist on the series, noted on Instagram that the beauty team worked with "hundreds of contestants" during season 19.
Before performing live, contestants run through their acts during rehearsals and must also participate in mandatory results rehearsals. Sofie Dossi, who competed on three seasons of America's Got Talent, shared the routine in a 2024 YouTube video. "I don't know if you guys know this, but all the contestants have to do a results rehearsal," Dossi said. "It's so everyone knows where to go if you're booted off or if you make it through and for the staff to figure out lighting and camera angles."
The ultimate winner of the competition earns a headline grand prize of $1 million, though the money is distributed over an extended timeline. A statement at the end of the show's credits reads: "The prize, which totals $1,000,000 is payable in a financial annuity over forty years, or the contestants may choose to receive the present value of such annuity." An annuity is a financial contract that distributes structured annual payments over a specified term.
Dividing the $1 million sum over 40 years yields $25,000 annually before taxes for winners who choose the long-term payout. Contestants may alternatively choose to receive the present value of the annuity in a single lump-sum payment.
