NBC’s top-rated summer series “America’s Got Talent” today announced a wide spectrum of popular guest musical and variety acts and exclusive performances that will appear on the show leading up to the live finale on September 14 (8-10 p.m. ET).
The guest performers include Tony Bennett (pictured) with Queen Latifah, Susan Boyle, Season 5 Winner Michael Grimm, Season 5 Finalist Jackie Evancho, Il Divo, David Guetta with Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, Def Leppard and Cirque du Soleil “Iris.”
The announcement was made today by Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
The dates for each guest performer heating up the “America’s Got Talent” stage follow:
August 31 – An exclusive performance by David Guetta with Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida of “Where Them Girls At” and Susan Boyle performs “You Have to Be There.”
September 6 – Michael Grimm performs “Stay with Me Baby.”
September 7 – Il Divo performs “Wicked Game” and Def Leppard performs “Rock of Ages – Pour Some Sugar on Me”
September 14 – Jackie Evancho performs “Nessun Dorma,” an exclusive performance from Tony Bennett and Queen Latifah of “Who Can I Turn To,” as well as an exclusive primetime premiere performance by Cirque du Soleil “Iris.”
Guetta — one of the most in-demand producers, multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning recording artist, and the world’s reigning #1 deejay — is set to release his much-awaited fifth album ‘Nothing But the Beat’ on August 29 through Capitol Records. It features the summer smash “Where Them Girls At” with Minaj and Flo Rida and also includes vocals from artists such as Akon, Chris Brown, Dev, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Sia, Snoop Dogg, Taio Cruz, Timbaland, Usher and Will.i.am.
Global phenomenon Boyle, who became a household name after her audition for “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009,” is the biggest-selling artist in the world today. Boyle’s debut release, “I Dreamed a Dream,” was the most pre-ordered album worldwide of all time at Amazon, and six weeks after its release, it had sold nine million copies. Boyle has gone on to sell over 14 million albums worldwide over the course of the last 14 months. She is currently working on her third studio album for release this fall.
Last season’s “America’s Got Talent” winner, Mississippi-bred Grimm charmed millions of viewers as he parlayed his substantial singer-songwriter appeal into a first-place finish, a $1 million prize, and the headline spot on the first-ever national “America’s Got Talent Tour,” which visited major cities throughout the U.S. in Fall 2010. Grimm has signed to Epic Records, who released his major-label self-titled debut album this past spring. He is currently on tour opening for Stevie Nicks.
Il Divo, formed in 2004 after a worldwide search of international opera houses by Simon Cowell, has sold more than 26 million albums and over 2 million concert tickets worldwide. Their first four albums achieved 50 #1 album chart positions internationally, including a #1 debut in the U.S. for “Ancora.” This was the only classical crossover album to debut on the Billboard Top 200. The group is currently working on their new album to be released this fall.
With more than 65 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, Def Leppard continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their careers, the band members have produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists. For the past 30 years, the band’s concerts have become must-see events and have quickly made them and institution in the touring industry, as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.
Last season’s runner-up for “America’s Got Talent” is Evancho, an 11-year-old soprano prodigy who auditioned for the series through YouTube. She recently released her debut album “Dream with Me,” which was certified gold after only four weeks of release. Evancho is currently on a sold-out U.S. tour and Syco/Columbia Records will release the DVD of “Dream with Me Live — Great Performances PBS Special” on September 13.
American icon Bennett, who has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, is set to release his new album “Duets II” on September 20. The career-spanning compilation features pairings with today’s most beloved artists including Queen Latifah, Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, Lady Ga Ga, Andrea Bocelli and many more. Entering his seventh decade as a recording artist with over 100 albums and 15 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Bennett has earned his legendary status many times over.
“Iris A Journey Through the World of Cinema” is the latest production from Cirque du Soleil currently performing in Hollywood at the Kodak Theater. Bringing together dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation, the show takes spectators on a fantastic voyage through the history of cinema and its genres, taking them into the heart of the movie-making process. From illustration to animation, black- and-white to color, silent films to talkies, fixed shots to swooping camera movements, spectators witness the poetic construction/deconstruction of this art as an object and as a way of transcending reality.
Now in its sixth season, “America’s Got Talent” airs Tuesdays (9-11 p.m. ET) and Wednesdays (9-10 p.m. ET) on NBC. Howie Mandel, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne star as the celebrity panel of judges, and Nick Cannon serves as host. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of aspiring stars, including singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians and ventriloquists, all vying for their chance to strut and perform on stage hoping to win America’s hearts – and the $1 million prize.
So far this summer, the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of “America’s Got Talent” are the #1 and #3 series on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox in total viewers, with the Wednesday edition of “Talent” ranking behind only NBC’s “The Voice.” In adults 18-49, the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of “Talent” rank #2 and #4, behind only “The Voice” (#1) and “The Voice” Results Show (#3). Versus last year, “America’s Got Talent” is up in adults 18-49 by 21 percent on Tuesdays (with an average 4.1 rating vs. a 3.4) and up 12 percent on Wednesdays (3.7 vs. 3.3), according to “most current” averages through August 21 from Nielsen Media Research. In total viewers, the show is up 20 percent year-to-year on Tuesdays (14.223 million vs. 11.832 million) and 9 percent year-to-year on Wednesdays (12.976 million vs. 11.861 million).
“America’s Got Talent” is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell’s SYCO Television. Simon Cowell, Cecile Frot-Coutaz (“American Idol”), Jason Raff, Ken Warwick (“American Idol”) and Georgie Hurford-Jones are executive producers.
(Source: NBC Entertainment)
