During Round 2 of AGT auditions for Season 21, Lara D gave an Oscar-worthy performance.
Key Takeaways
- Lara D, a singer from Sydney, stunned the AGT Judges with her performance of Raye’s “Oscar Winning Tears,” showcasing years of preparation and vocal talent.
- Sofía Vergara, previously beaten to the Golden Buzzer twice in the same night, seized the moment by hitting it before Howie Mandel could, giving Lara D her breakthrough.
- Lara’s audition marked a major turning point, transforming her from an unknown singer working in her family’s business into a standout contender on the AGT stage.
On America’s Got Talent, it only takes three minutes to change your life. And that’s exactly what happened to Lara D. The Aussie singer stepped onto the stage basically an unknown, but she’s certainly not leaving that way. The cherry on top is that her performance allowed one of the Judges to finally get even with her colleagues.
During the first night of Auditions for Season 21 of AGT, Judge Sofía Vergara was twice beaten to the Golden Buzzer by other Judges. When 14-year-old singer Lai Noelle took the stage, Vergara let it slip to Judge Simon Cowell that she was thinking of pressing the buzzer, but Cowell waved her off the idea, before turning around and doing it himself.
Later that very same evening, she was blown away by the Acro Canine Crew and their mix of high-energy dance and dog tricks. She was clearly on the verge of pressing the buzzer, once again, when Host Terry Crews came bolting off the stage and down to the Judges’ table to press it himself, triggering the fall of golden confetti. All’s well that ends well, of course, as these deserving Acts are headed to the Live shows regardless.
RELATED: Simon Cowell Reveals AGT Acts Came to His House for New Twist: “Most Surreal Moment”
However, all that changed when Lara D took the mic.
What song did Lara D sing?
For her audition, Lara chose “Oscar Winning Tears” by British singer-songwriter Raye, from her debut 2023 album My 21st Century Blues.
As the title suggests, the song is about a man who is faking sadness, crying tears as part of a performance so compelling it should win him an Academy Award. It was inspired by a terrifying moment, when Raye caught a man she “knew and trusted,” per Apple Music, spiking her drink. The man cried, as if he was the victim, and she turned that experience into a song.
Where is Lara D from?
Lara hails from Sydney, Australia, where she works at her family’s real estate business. “I’m not living my dream in Australia,” she admitted before taking the stage. “I started working with my parents but I decided to come here…this is the stage where all dreams come true, I guess.”
“SURPRISEEEE! I’m super excited to announce that I will be on @agt AHHHHH I’ve been holding this innnn I can’t believe i auditioned?! Only one week to go! 😍❤️🔥 (Tuesday June 2nd) @agtauditions #agt #agtauditions,” she wrote on Instagram to celebrate her big moment.
How Lara D got her Golden Buzzer
Her years of hard work, practice and preparation paid off, as Lara D delivered a nearly flawless performance. “I loved it. There is something about you that is very special,” Vergara told the young singer. Judge Howie Mandel agreed, telling her, “This is the kind of thing that I’ve been looking for. Ive been looking for a surprise. I’ve been looking for something unexpected.”
He then began inching toward the buzzer, saying, “You’re a star and I wanna do something.” Lara got excited and began to cry as Mandel hinted, “You deserve…” but Vergara knew this game. Before the comedian could get there, she swooped in and pressed it herself. A score for Lara, and an equally big score for Sofía!
See all-new episodes of America’s Got Talent the day after they air on Peacock.
*SOURCE BY https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/lara-d-raye-sofia-golden-buzzer-agt
