‘AGT’ Airs Stunning Audition of Recently Killed Contestant
America's Got Talent lost a shining star on June 11 when contestant Brandon Rogers was killed in a car crash, and when his audition aired on last night's (July 11) episode, viewers got reason to believe they lost a potential winner, too.
Rogers, a 29-year-old doctor, had gained Instagram fame leading up to his audition, and #TheSingingDoctor could even count Boyz II Men among his fans. Producers reportedly didn't know whether to air his try-out after news of his death broke, but finally decided to share his gift, and a captivated audience was certainly glad they did.
"On June 11 one of our contestants, Brandon Rogers, tragically passed away in a car accident," an introduction to Rogers' package read. "At the request of his family we would like to honor his memory by sharing his audition with you."
Rogers' performance of "Ribbon in the Sky" immediately proved to be one of Season 12's standouts. The performance earned a standing ovation from every member of the judging panel and Simon Cowell called Rogers one of the best singers of the season so far.
Rogers explained in prerecorded segments that his path toward music and medicine seemed fated.
“My inspiration for becoming a doctor was kind of born out of a pretty tough experience when I was about six years old when I came home from school one day and found my mom laying in a pool of blood,” he said. “We rushed her to the hospital, the doctors were like heroes. They saved her life and it made me want to be the doctor that I am today..I feel like I’m in a field where I’m actually making a difference, and there can be some tough days too. My way to cope with the stress has always been music...My patients they're so supportive and excited. If I could find a way to combine being a doctor and medicine with music and singing that would be a dream come true."
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