Roland Abante cast a spell on America’s Got Talent with his powerful audition. Venturing all the way from the Philippines, Abante had a translator with him to help him communicate with judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel. Abante shared that in his native country, he works as a fisherman in the morning and drives a cargo bike in the afternoon to transport people around town.
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When Klum asked why he decided to audition for America’s Got Talent, Abante immediately broke down in tears and said, “This is my big dream to be here.” He got a hug from Klum before he launched into a stunning rendition of “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Sung in the style of Michael Bolton, Abante left the audience gobsmacked with his deep, soulful voice that lit up the auditorium. The depth and range of Abante’s voice flexed the smoky tones accented by sweet notes throughout, complete with a Steven Tyler-esque wail at the end. His audition ended with a standing ovation from both the judges and the audience, Abante becoming overwhelmed with emotion.
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“I don’t think you could’ve done it better,” Klum praised. “You left it all on that stage, you were amazing. You should be very proud of yourself.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to have to stop fishing because this is where you needed to be,” Vergara predicted.
Cowell admitted that since Abante was “so nervous” at the beginning, he didn’t think he was going to be able to sing. “And then that happened, it actually made me love this audition even more,” Cowell raved. “I really like you. That was a great audition, you were brilliant.”
“We could feel your heart and I think that everybody just heard a life-changing moment,” Mandel professed. Abante was awarded with unanimous approval from the judges, advancing him to the next round.
America’s Got Talent airs on NBC on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.
Photo by Casey Durkin/NBC
