This season of America's Got Talent has been a whirlwind of fantastic performers and fantastic performances. But, a lot goes into making AGT happen! Here are some fun facts about this season of AGT...

• We featured 61 contestants who came to Hollywood, including the top 48, the YouTube contestants and the wild card contestants.
• AGT had 265 people, two parrots, one horse and one bulldog in total for all 61 acts that competed in Hollywood! This year featured a lot of large groups, the largest of which made it to the finals: Silhouettes, who have 42 members!


• Those 61 groups can be broken down into four magicians, 12 dance groups, three comedians, 10 singers, four kid's musical groups, five acrobatic groups, two animal groups, 10 danger acts, seven novelty acts and four music groups.
• The most voted for episode was the finale! This season, we had the most people call in to vote ever out of all the seasons of AGT!
• AGT is the most watched show of the summer season - we were number one in the ratings!
• Out of all the contestants, the four who travelled the farthest to get to Hollywood were Anna Graceman, who travelled 2,179 miles from Juneau, AK; Miami All Stars, who travelled 2,773 miles from Miami, FL; Landon Swank, who travelled 3,371 miles from Wasilla, AK; and Kalani Basketball Freestyle, who travelled 3,939 miles from Honolulu, HI.
• Out of all the contestants, five didn't have to travel that far at all: J. Chris Newberg, Melissa Villasenor, Team iLuminate, Aeon and Powerhouse were all based in Los Angeles!
• In Hollywood, there were 29 guest performances ranging from Nicki Minaj to Rebecca Black to Il Divo. Guest performances also included the final four from Season 5 of AGT: Fighting Gravity, Prince Poppycock, Jackie Evancho and Michael Grimm.
• All the performances in Hollywood were 90 seconds, which means, in total, there was 208 minutes of AGT contestant performances this season! Did you see them all?
• The biggest performances that had to be accommodated this season were The Kinetic King (who, at his longest, occupied 36 hours of prep and the entire stage!), Fearless Flores Family (whose globe required the entire crew of 50 to assemble) and Professor Splash (whose performances were so large, they were held outside!).
• Over 500 AA batteries were used each week at AGT, meaning 5000-plus batteries were used for the entire season! These are most commonly used for microphones and walkie-talkies.
• There were over 20 departments at AGT this season, including wardrobe, hair, makeup, contestants, producers, host, judges, music, art, production, travel, security, stage management, directors, camera, audio, lighting, grips and carpenters.
• The episode with the most performers was the top 10 performances, which had over 101 performers ready to vie for the final four. That episode included such big groups as Silhouettes, West Springfield Dance Team, Team iLuminate and Miami All Stars!
• Over 44,000 water bottles were used for the cast and crew during the Hollywood episodes this season. But don't worry: we recycle!
• From flying so many contestants to Hollywood, AGT accumulates around 28,000 frequent flyer miles a year. That sure is a lot of air miles!

So much happened this season on AGT and we could not have done it without you, our loyal fans. We're so glad you were a part of Season 6, and we can't wait to see you next year for Season 7!

America's Got Talent features some of the most talented, creative people in the world. From acrobats to magicians to musicians to dance groups, this season has featured so many different groups with unique visions that it is truly extraordinary how, week to week, these performances are executed. Unlike any other show on television, AGT is all about variety.

Every week, contestants meet with producers and the art department to create a performance as soon as they hear they are moving on to the next stage. An AGT act presents an initial idea, explaining what they are hoping to bring to the AGT stage. With the help of producers, the idea is molded and shaped to work for AGT and, more specifically, the AGT stage itself, which can be slightly limiting. While acts rehearse, rehearse and rehearse, the baton of creating the show is handed off to the art department - who are the unsung heroes in a performance, responsible for everything you see on stage besides the people performing.

Consisting of up to 10 people, the art department has a lot to do. Working with producers, the production designer John Gilles is the department head and oversees that every item needed for the performance is gathered, from a small, fake Piers Morgan cutout for Gabe Rocks to lift his leg on to a small house for Avery and the Calico Hearts to sing from. An art director works with the crew to figure out how items will be built and assembled onstage between commercial breaks, while a decorator and buyer are always on hand to dress the set and grab needed set pieces in a pinch. Along with assistant art directors, a few drivers and a coordinator, the art department is a full team of people who sometimes have to do a full week's work of show preparation in just three days!

Of course, everything does not always go as planned for either the art department or performers. In some cases, the stage is too small and oriented differently from what an act hopes for, which means the art department and the acts have to improvise as the stage is only so big. For example, Silhouettes had to have their screen tapered down because it was larger than the stage. Steven Retchless hoped to have his triple pole dance routine oriented in a triangle, but because of how the stage is laid out, the poles had to go in a straight line to ensure their safety. Seth Grabel's wild card performance and reveal of the DeLorean had to be modified because the car was so heavy that it broke the stage at a rehearsal. And, Professor Splash, AGT's largest scale act to accommodate this season, was too large for the stage, so a performance space, lighting and sound rig, and audience seating had to be prepared outdoors.

These changes to a performance are not bad things and add to the excitement of the show's production. Sometimes the art department gets to build and create some really, really cool stuff for performers. For Scott Alexander, the art department was an integral part in helping build the platform Scott used to make his choir vanish. POPLYFE's semifinals performance required a cool, double-decker venue for them to perform in that was created just for them. The Smage Bros., who constantly have to resize their act to fit the AGT stage, are fun to create set pieces for as they frequently use found items to jump off of.

Think that the art department's job ends with simply getting AGT contestants' acts off the ground? Wrong! They are also responsible for executing concepts celebrity performers want for their AGT performance. A few of the department's favorite acts they created performances for were Susan Boyle, Les Miserable and Demi Lovato. For Susan Boyle, they had to create a set for an orchestra, a choir and Susan herself, turning the AGT stage into a concert hall. Les Miserables was a treat for the art department to work with because they are all big theater enthusiasts. But, out of all of them, Demi Lovato's performance was the most fun as they were single handedly responsible for creating the amazing "pile of memories" that Lovato started her performance from.

The art department is proud to be a part of AGT and is very lucky to have gotten the chance to work on a show that requires dual roles. On one hand, the department provides a space and the tools AGT contestants need to show the world that they are superstars, while on the other, it gets to help some of the world's most respected performers put on great shows on AGT. America's Got Talent is unlike any other show on television. With so many unique acts and celebrity performers, the AGT art department truly gets the best of both worlds.

From Anna Graceman's soulful take on the Motley Crue classic "Home Sweet Home" to POPLYFE's lively Beatles cover, to say music plays a prominent role on America's Got Talent would be a gross understatement. Music is so prominent that, in the case of singers, it can make or break chances of moving on to the next round and getting one step closer to being crowned the winner. When it comes to voting, a fan's impression of an act's performance and personality can heavily rely on the act's song choice. For instance, Daniel Joseph Baker's selection of Lady Gaga hits week after week earned him the nickname "Lady GuyGuy," and Team iLuminate have said themselves "the music drives the movement" when putting together their innovative hip-hop routines.

The process of bringing performers' ideas from vision to stage is largely driven by the music backing the performance, as often times the entire concept will begin with the song choice. The performer's producer will work with them on several ideas, then present these ideas to the music department to determine whether or not the music is available for licensing. Usually, the contestants will pick several songs they love, just in case their first picks aren't available for use. "It really is all about the act and what they want," explained Miguel Jefferson, AGT's music coordinator. "It should feel natural for them." The acts have to have their songs picked out for the next round of the competition even before they've performed for the current round, the main reason being that the backing music on AGT is prerecorded and tailored specifically for that act. In some cases, this means the song has to be chosen, rearranged, recorded, mixed and edited within a day. Because the show is aired live each week, as soon as the music department learns who has been voted through on Wednesday morning, they begin work on arranging the act's next song, sending it to be mixed and edited so that, come Thursday morning, the act can immediately begin rehearsing and working with the vocal coach for the next round. In other words, Wednesdays are by far the busiest.

Including Miguel, the department consists of five people and is overseen by Meryl Ginsberg, the head music supervisor. After an act chooses its song and Miguel has cleared the song with the publisher, musical director Nigel Wright and his right-hand man, Mike Farrell, work with the act to figure out how to arrange the full track into 90 seconds that combine all the parts they want to sing. Nigel then determines who is necessary to execute the backing track - how many percussionists, guitarists and, in some cases, horn players are needed. The band is brought in to record the track, per Nigel's arrangement, then the track is shipped to London for mixing and editing. This long-distance collaboration is done for efficiency: because of the time difference, while the music department sleeps here, the music department across the pond is busy putting the track together as quickly as possible, allowing for a swift 24-hour turnover. Come Thursday morning, the singers are ready to join the team in the studio and work with vocal coach Yvie Burnett on their vocal presentation. Yvie has worked with everyone from Sarah Brightman to Katy Perry and fine tuned the most memorable voices of Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, including fan favorite Susan Boyle and powerhouse Leona Lewis. She helps the singers polish their notes, enunciation and ad libs to create a pitch-perfect signature style, so that once the singers have moved on to learn blocking and choreography, they've got the actual singing down pat.

When it comes to clearing songs for dancers, the team has to work quickly to either get the proper permission to use an act's first choices on air or to find suitable alternatives that still align creatively and organically with the contestant's vision. After all, Snap Boogie's last performance was a purposeful play on words with "Boogie Wonderland," and the Summerwind Skippers' epic post-apocalyptic theme wouldn't have packed the same punch (or jump) without Britney Spears' dance anthem "Till the World Ends."

So what happens when a song doesn't clear last minute? The performers will tailor their acts to fit what they can use. Miami All Stars had to do just that with their first Hollywood performance; their swift routine adjustments and flexibility spoke volumes on their professionalism, not only onstage but also in the production process. Luckily, there haven't been too many of those instances this season. Even for tracks that are usually impossible to obtain, the team has managed to do it, in large part due to the caliber of talent using the song. Typically out of reach, The Beatles' "Come Together," Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" and Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home" were all made available because the team sent over videos of POPLYFE, Lys Agnes and Anna Graceman singing, respectively. And just like that, the popular tracks were approved. "This season we've gotten a lot of good music because the contestants are really strong. So we can send the music over and the publisher approves it a lot more easily than usual," explained Miguel. Though the talent competing is undoubtedly strong, the team that's providing the tools and training for it to be showcased in the best light possible must be equally exceptional. It's a good thing AGT's music department surpasses this requirement.

Russell Latham ran the hair department of America's Got Talent for the past six years. He worked on the show from day one and right up to the day he passed.

Despite having to go through hours upon hours of dialysis each week, he still insisted on coming into work. He was like that... stubbornly enthusiastic.

He loved his craft, and he was a pleasure to work and travel with. He was quick with a hug, a smile and a funny story.

His amazing work was recognized this year when he got the show's first Emmy nomination for his work. We are so proud of that achievement which meant so much to him.

The crew of over 200 who were part of his work family shared a moment of silence today onstage. This week's shows will be dedicated to him. We miss him so much.

See some of Russell's work in the August 3 blog post, "AN INSIDE LOOK AT AGT'S HAIR DEPARTMENT."

A lot goes into live shows at America's Got Talent. Between tons of contestants and a large crew to make the show happen, AGT is a lot similar to a theater spectacle instead of a television show. Like all live television shows, what you see on the air is not what is happening backstage. Behind the curtains are stagehands, set pieces, producers, contestants and everyone in between who keep the show going on schedule.

On show days, contestants and crew arrive very early to get ready. Contestants - which are acts ranging from one person to over forty people - head to hair, makeup and wardrobe to prepare for their performance while crews begin prepping props, set pieces and other items needed for the evening's broadcast. Both contestants and crew spend a lot of the day practicing as well: the contestants practice their routines in costume while the crew rehearses setting up and breaking down set pieces in less than a minute's time. When the time comes for dress rehearsal, the contestants and crew gather at the stage and green room to stumble through the show.

During this time, the show is run through as if it were live. There are rarely any stops but, occasionally, there has to be one or two if a set is not finished being constructed or an act is not set to go. The dress rehearsal is the time for mistakes, as both contestants and crew are trying to figure out what will work and what needs to be simplified for live television. Think about it this way: for the live show, contestants and crew only have the span of a commercial and the one minute between Nick introducing them and the start of their performance to be set. In live television, every second counts - literally!

After the rehearsal, both crew and contestants take a rest. Contestants head back to the contestant tent to get a bite to eat and, occasionally, get out of costume for some time. Crew also grab a bite to eat at this time, as they have to be back before contestants to prep everything.

When it's time for the show to start, everyone gets into position as if they are soldiers heading to battle stations. All fifty crew members - which include prop people, riggers and carpenters - get into place and prepare for the show. All set pieces for acts are arranged backstage in the order that they will go on to ensure the show runs smoothly. With four stage managers overseeing everything, there is no chance anything will go wrong and, of course, all crew are prepped from practicing the show all day.

The stage managers, who are the show's backstage ringleaders, have a lot to do during showtime. Besides coordinating the crew, they must also ensure that backup dancers are in place and everyone is keeping walkways cleared and backstage quiet. With AGT's crew having over 200 people and with producers, hair, makeup and wardrobe constantly moving in and out of the stage and green room, the stage managers have to keep the show going and make sure no one is standing in the way of production.

For the contestants, they are arranged backstage in the order they will be appearing on the show. When one act is on stage, the next act is "on deck" or in a holding area next to the stage, prepped to go on. Typically, the two acts following a performance are always on deck, ready to go when their time comes. Along with the stage managers, six talent wranglers keep tabs on contestants, getting them to the right places at the right times. When a performer is done, everyone is held in the green room until the end of the show, when they return to the stage for the closing of the show.

After the show has ended, contestants attend to some loose ends with producers, including getting interviewed or getting their photo taken. When they are finished, they then are done for the night, free to get out of costume and head home. The crew has a similar end to their evening; however, they have to return all of the props and sets to their places. The following day, the crew will break down all of the set pieces and props and return them to an AGT storage facility.

A lot goes into an AGT live show! Aside from performers performing, many, many people have to make sure the show can go on. Between crew, stage managers, talent wranglers, producers, hair, makeup, wardrobe and everyone else on set, making the AGT live shows happen is more work than putting on just any other live television show.

Now that the quarterfinals are over and we have our first 16 semifinalists, we take a break for our special YouTube show. It's the show the producers are both excited and nervous about.

For the top 48 quarterfinalists, we feel like we know them. We have seen them audition for the judges initially, watched them perform in Las Vegas and worked with them to prepare them for the live shows. In the case of the YouTube acts, they were selected just by watching a 90-second video online. Now they are coming in to perform live on TV for millions of people. There are always some major surprises in store for us and you.

The other fun thing is that one of the YouTube acts has bypassed the judges completely and been chosen completely by those of you who voted in the online contest.

Speaking of which, after the YouTube week, we are doing a wild card week. For the first time ever, the judges have asked for your help. They want to hear your opinion on who to bring back. Go to NBC.com/agt and pick your favorites.

Last week, we showed you the AGT talent that you'll never see on stage, though you see all their unique, intricate creations: the wardrobe department. This week, we take you inside yet another department imperative to an act's style and, in turn, visual presentation: the Emmy-nominated AGT hair team.

Led by Russell Latham, the team consists of 8 - 12 people, depending on the number of contestants on for that week, with the key stylist and Russell's right-hand woman being Annette Jones. Russell and Annette have worked on the show since the very start, overseeing every memorable head of hair, from Barbara Padilla's stunning updos to Prince Poppycock's extravagant wigs, while most of the remaining stylists have been around since Season 3. The number of years spent together, without a doubt, has perfected their smooth workflow and unwavering demeanor: even in the most stressful situations and with the highest volume of talent coming through the hair trailers, it's nothing but steady hands with this group.

It's a good thing, as this hairstyling gig truly demands every possible technique. "We do it all," explains Russell, showing an inspirational outline for each performer hanging opposite the stylists' stations, or, as contestant Monet said in a recent vlog, "They can turn your hair into an ice sculpture." Speaking of Monet, the team brought up the young songbird's curly coif as the biggest transformation so far this season, with Mona Lisa being another proud mane metamorphosis. Annette also fondly recalled creating Steven Retchless' snowy, shimmering 'do for the spectacular routine that gained him a spot in the semifinals, as well as Cassie of Sandou Trio Russian Bar's tight chignon, which had to be equally elegant and strong through her dangerous aerial routine.

The creativity, technical skill and ability to handle the sheer volume of talent required for AGT have not gone unnoticed: the team was recently nominated for a primetime Emmy in Outstanding Hairstyling For A Multi-Camera Series or Special, alongside Dancing with the Stars, iCarly, The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway and Saturday Night Live. The Emmys will air September 18th on Fox and, fingers crossed, will get the hair team well-deserved national recognition. Although if you ask any contestant, dancer or crew member at AGT, they will already happily attest to the hair team's knack for making anyone and everyone look fabulous.

Wardrobe is an extremely important part of America's Got Talent. The people in this department make sure everyone from Anna Graceman to Daniel Joseph Baker to The Rhinestone Ropers to Summerwind Skippers have costumes to perform in. A team of many who are always working to make every AGT act look amazing, the America's Got Talent costume department is truly amazing.

Headed by Daniela Gschendtner and Steven Lee, the costume department makes sure that all contestants look their best. The two costume designers work with a large team, varying from at least four people to more than seven or eight. They maintain four trailers on the America's Got Talent lot: one that functions as an office, another that houses a sewing and costume-building workshop, one that is a dressing room, and a storage trailer for all of the costumes that they create. When we asked a seamstress about the most complex project she and the team have worked on so far on AGT, she and the team could not name a specifically challenging costume: every America's Got Talent costume so far has been very, very intricate and a challenge to produce.

We sat down quickly with Daniela and Steven, both impeccably dressed and slightly at ease - even though show time was in less than two hours! There was a constant flow of costume helpers popping in and out, mentioning that Monet was in need of a necklace and POPLYFE were missing accessories. The two were able to handle questions from us as well as their staff so easily: it was very obvious the creativity coming from AGT's costume department is rivaled by its efficiency and professionalism.

We wondered: how is working with contestants and do they have a say in their costumes? The two both found the answer quite easily: there is a general concept for a costume created by Daniela and Steven, but meeting the act is integral. What they make has to work with an act, to keep with its style. Before an act arrives, Daniela and Steven try to meet with the producers to see what everyone has in mind. They bring an act's style to the show, but amplify it for television: they create something that is at a quality level required for performance on national television. A costume that Daniela and Steven create showcases someone that could win America's Got Talent.

Because they need to work hand in hand with acts, they can't do anything in advance of contestants arriving. They need to meet the contestants to make the costumes. Daniela and Steven can draft ideas and brainstorm potential avenues for what to wear, but - until they meet an act - they don't know what would be best suited for that act.

Wardrobe is more than making people pretty: they also have to take into account every part of an act's performance. They have to ensure that the acts can perform in what they are wearing. For Snap Boogie, they need to provide street cool clothes that are easy to dance in; Attack Dance Crew needs eight identical costumes that are moveable, yet still carry Attack's style; and Professor Splash needs clothes to dive in as well as something for when he is not diving. Daniela and Steven have to consider the mood of the performance along with what the act wants. From there, they meet somewhere in the middle.

This may sound stressful, but that is the fun of wardrobe on America's Got Talent: the variety of performers. Daniela and Steven meet the most interesting people that you would ever meet. This makes work very creative. When you have contestants of different ages, different sizes and from different parts of the country, wardrobe never becomes routine.

Like everyone on the AGT set, Daniela and Steven love being able to see the performers perform. They fit contestants and create costumes before they actually see an act perform in person. When they finally get to see the performance, they get to witness the true talent these people have - talent that looks a lot cooler live onstage with props, dancers, a set, makeup and costumes.

The difference between AGT and other shows and the thing that I love about America's Got Talent is that it's not just singing. The element of surprise is still there for me because you never know what the next act is going to do. That's what I love. You just don't get one singer after another because I think it can be a bit monotonous. You know, how many times can you hear another rendition of "Hallelujah" or "Hero"? AGT is refreshing in the fact that you can hear a little girl that sings like an angel with an unbelievable operatic voice and then you can have the best drag queen in the world. All on the same show! It just shakes it up a bit. That's what makes us different from every other talent show. Where else can you can see somebody on a bike jumping across bloody makeshift bridges on the stage and next see somebody flying on a trapeze?

You're never bored with America's Got Talent because there's always something different. I'm not going to say the show is better this year than ever because I'm on it. Truthfully, it really is packed with an unbelievable array of talent in all different genres of art. It's amazing. And I'm so proud to be a part of the show.

Have a good time. Enjoy yourself. Don't think of this as anything else but a fun performance. When those young people are on the side of the stage, I ask them all these questions, but the last question I always ask them is, "Are you ready to have a good time?" I mean there's so much other pressure that's coming from outside influences and just even themselves being right there on the side of the stage. I have to remind them that you're young and you're entertaining because you love it, not because you're trying to win $1 million, not because your parents are going to be more proud of you, or anything of that. You're doing this because this is what you love.