The singer brought plenty of big cat energy to the AGT Semifinals as the janitor-turned-Golden Buzzer superstar delivered an unforgettable cover of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” As movie lovers know, the iconic pump-up jam that continues to play at sporting events all over the world was originally written for the Rocky III soundtrack.
“Every song that I sing means something in my life,” Goodall explained ahead of his performance. “I’ve been singing in the halls for 23 years. I know how lucky I am to be here and it’s not wasted on me. Hopefully, this song connects with people.”
When asked why he chose this track specifically, Goodall answered: “I’m fightin’ for it, plain and simple. I got this shot. I’m like Rocky, I gotta go for it.”
Goodall will officially be moving on to the Finals alongside dance group Brent Street, stand-up comedian Learnmore Jonasi, dog-human dance duo Roni Sagi & Rhythm, drone-happy Sky Elements, and quick-change magician Solange Kardinaly.
Richard Goddall covers “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor’s during America’s Got Talent Semifinals
Dressed in a sparkling shirt and his usual flap cap, Goodall belted out the lyrics to “Eye of the Tiger” with all the fervor of a young Dave Bickler. Backing him up was a group of four musicians: bassist, keyboard player, drummer, and a particularly enthusiastic electric guitarist. The beat was truly infectious; so much so, that Host Terry Crews couldn’t help dancing backstage.
In just 3 days, Richard Goodall’s electrifying performance of “Eye of the Tiger” hit 1 million views on AGT’s official YouTube channel, making it the fastest AGT Semifinal act to reach this milestone. His captivating energy and undeniable talent not only earned him the title of fan favorite but also garnered an overwhelming number of votes from the American audience in Season 19.
Voting percentage for 6 acts in the semi-finals of AGT 2024
Richard Goodall – Singer – 14.43%
Roni Sagi & Rhythm – Dog act – 13.50%
Sky Elements – Drone act – 12.36%
Solange Kardinaly – Quick Change Act – 11.94%
Learnmore Jonasi – Comedian – 10.28%
Brent Street – Dance Group – 9.66%
Ashes & Arrows – Country trio – 6.02%
Reid Wilson – Teen singer – 5.71%
Alex Sampson – Singer – 5.71%
Kelsey Jane – Acrobat – 4.98%
Pranysqa Mishra – Singer – 3.22%
Young Min – Magician – 2.18%
What did the Judges say about Richard Goodall’s Semifinal Performance?
“Are you kidding me right now?!” demanded an ecstatic Heidi Klum (Goodall’s Golden Buzzer benefactor) as the audience exploded with unbridled adulation. “Epic performance! Honestly, I thought that you could not top what you’d done last time, but you did it. You topped it. You topped it, topped it, topped it. America, please — you have to vote for Richard!”
READ MORE: The song that brings tears every time – Richard Goodall’s cover of ‘God Bless the USA’ should be a must-have for the AGT Season 19 finals
“It was the last song in the world I would expect you to sing, [but] it doesn’t matter because people love you,” said Simon Cowell, going on to compare Godall to Rocky Balboa. “There’s something ironic about the fact that you’ve chosen a really underdog song and you are like the underdog in a way, but in a really positive way. And it was like you just got to the top of the steps. I love that!”
Sofia Vergara continued: “I love that you picked such an iconic song. The people love you. It was amazing. I’m so happy for you. Enjoy this!”
“You have the biggest heart in this whole competition,” finished Howie Mandel as Heidi attempted to bolster his excitement level. “We feel the love and we love you.”
