Hunter Price, a Georgia vocalist who is 25 years old, began his America’s Got Talent (AGT) audition by singing Bryan Adams’ timeless hit song “Everything I Do”. However, judge Simon Cowell quickly stopped the music since the performance was so unimpressive. In a direct statement, Cowell said that Hunter’s performance was “very generic” and sounded like a tune he had heard “million times” during karaoke contests. Hunter was given a second chance after this dramatic intervention prompted him to make a high-stakes, mid-audition turn by asking if he had an original song he could perform in its place.
When Hunter disclosed that he had been writing his own music, influenced by musicians such as Taylor Swift, the mood immediately changed. With little delay, he began singing his original song, “Left Behind.” His initial try was a far cry from this performance. With its catchy tune and poignant lyrics about a traumatic background, the song unveiled a depth and genuineness that had previously been entirely concealed. Additionally, Hunter shared a moving portion of his life, stating that he had been living alone since the age of 18 and had gone through periods where he “haven’t had enough money to eat,” which gave his songs more emotional weight.
The panel of judges admitted to having witnessed “two different auditions.” Having previously acknowledged that she would have said “no” to him following the first song, Sofía Vergara was now the first to say “yes.” Still a little dubious, Howie Mandel counseled Hunter to “open up” and be more sincere. However, Simon Cowell saw the potential and came to the conclusion that Hunter was a stronger songwriter than he thought, and that trying too hard to please was his biggest obstacle. Hunter’s original song ultimately garnered three “yeses,” demonstrating his unadulterated skill and giving him a crucial second opportunity to establish himself as a legitimate artist.
