The young singer is now one big step closer to his dreams of Broadway stardom.
The final night of America's Got Talent season 14 auditions aired Tuesday, and the final Golden Buzzer went to a very worthy 12-year-old singer named Luke Islam.
Before taking the stage, Islam opened up a little to host Terry Crews in a pre-taped package that explored his passion for music and theater.
"When I was little, we did this little showcase at my preschool, and ever since then I've loved performing," Islam told Crews backstage at the show.
As it turns out, his true passion is Broadway. According to his mom, she took him to his first show when he was 6, and something sparked inside him, causing him to fall in love with Broadway performances.
The young singer gleefully explained that he waits for a ticket lottery every week and he's gone to dozens of shows, because his ultimate dream in life is to perform on a Broadway stage.
After taking the stage and introducing himself, judge Gabrielle Union asks who his favorite judge is, and Islam cautiously admits that, while he loves all the judges, he's got a particular appreciation for Julianne Hough.
"Me and my sister have been following you and your brother's dancing for a very long time," Islam explained, referring to the judge's brother, and former Dancing With the Stars co-star, Derek Hough.
After the introductions were out of the way, it was time to perform. Showing the kind of confidence and vocal skill he's going to need to headline a Broadway show, the stunning young singer didn't hesitate for a moment before belting out "She Used to Be Mine" from the hit show Waitress.
Islam commanded the stage with his range, his passion and his inflection, and it was clear just how much his dedication to singing (and his frequent trips to live performances) has helped him hone his craft.
Before he was even done singing, the audience were already cheering and on their feet, and as he finished, he was treated to a standing ovation from all four judges, which brought him to tears instantly.
"What's so important, if you move forward… you gotta sing your songs as if every one of your performances is an audition for the best producers on Broadway. You really got to make an impression," shared Simon Cowell, who not only dealt out some sage, experience-backed wisdom, but also knowingly predicted that Islam would be moving on.
Immediately after Cowell's feedback, it was time for Hough to weigh in, and she shared her gratitude for Islam's kind words before his act, and expressed her desire to support his pursuit of Broadway fame.
"Not only are you going to become a star and get your dream to come true, I don't think you need to wait that much longer," Hough said just before she slammed the Golden Buzzer.
Luke fell to his knees in shock and joy as shimmering confetti rained down on him and his parents, who joined their excited son on stage for a big group embrace. Hough later joined them, giving Islam a hug as well.
"I can't believe it. I'm in shock," Islam said through tears of joy. "I never expected something like this to happen in my whole life. I'm so grateful. Thank you so much!"
His Golden Buzzer victory means the young singer will be moving ahead straight to the live shows. However, for all the AGT hopefuls who got voted on to the next round without a Golden Buzzer, they will spend the next few weeks battling it out for a spot in the live shows during the Judge Cuts rounds, which kick off next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Check out the video below for more on some of the previous Golden Buzzer recipients who will face off against Islam later this season.
RELATED CONTENT:
