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How Timothy Fletcher Got a Standing Ovation for His “Perfect” Drumming Audition
The Baltimore man showed AGT Judges why he's already a social media sensation.
Contestants from all walks of life can be pretty good at drumming up the competition on America’s Got Talent, but one performer isn’t your average drummer boy.
What to know about Timothy Fletcher
Twenty-six-year-old Timothy Fletcher came to the AGT stage with a single drum and a dream. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Fletcher told AGT Host Terry Crews that winning the competition and headlining in Las Vegas would “drastically” change his life.
Fletcher was all smiles when introducing himself to Judges Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, and Heidi Klum. He wore a drum necklace around his neck and kept a pair of drumsticks in his jeans pocket.
“I started playing drums when I got into high school, and then I stopped,” said Fletcher. “My friend, he always told me I had a gift with drums.”
Fletcher explained the friend had passed away, ultimately prompting Fletcher to resume his musical journey.
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“When he got killed, I was like, ‘I’m gonna do what he told me to stick to,’” Fletcher told the Judges. “He even told me one day I’d be here, so now I’m here.”
Timothy Fletcher is already a TikTok sensation
To say Fletcher plays the drums would be an understatement. Fletcher uses a single drum to beat along with a ton of popular hip-hop songs, incorporating tricks the human eye can barely follow. He frequently plays one-handed, behind his back, or under his leg, hypnotizing viewers with drumstick twirls and catches, bouncing the sticks off the ground or from various parts of the body.
Fletcher also gives high-energy dance moves with his drumming, which helped him become a social media sensation.
Since 2022, Fletcher has garnered millions of followers and likes on TikTok, with his most-watched drum performances including “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, “Bring Em Out” by T.I., and “Knuck if You Buck” by Crime Mob, all of which have gone viral.
Fletcher’s following is only bigger on YouTube, with his drum version of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” — which he played as part of his AGT ACT — garnering more than 45 million views.
“Timothy now travels the world, sharing love and positive vibes through his magical drumbeats, hoping to inspire those across the world and encouraging them to follow their dreams and to never give up,” the profile states.
Fletcher’s social media presence has landed him on The Ellen Show, B.E.T., and Nickelodeon, according to his YouTube profile, which has more than 64 million views in total.
What songs did Timothy Fletcher perform for AGT?
For his AGT Act, Fletcher had the crowds going, starting with “In Da Club,” one of the songs that have helped increase his online following. The 2003 hit by 50 Cent was a massive success two decades back, winning MTV Awards for Best New Artist and Best Rap Video, and earning Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Male Rap Solo Performance.
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Fletcher had the live audience screaming as he performed trick after trick when the song switched to Ciara’s fast-paced 2019 single, “Level Up.”
With smooth dance moves and rapid drumstick beats on a single snare drum, Fletcher soon had AGT Judges on their feet.
Fletcher laughed as viewers stood and cheered.
“That was so much fun,” Judge Vergara began. “Your dancing, your rhythm, your smile, your energy, I loved it.”
Judge Mandel said he was “mesmerized” by Fletcher’s “incredible” audition.
“I think this was a perfect first audition,” Klum agreed.
She added that she could see Fletcher making an entire show from his drumming routine, not just because of his dance moves and beats, but from Fletcher’s “million-dollar smile.”
Cowell said judging for AGT was the “easiest job in the world” because all he had to do was describe how he felt in response to peoples’ auditions. As for Fletcher’s performance, Cowell said he felt “amazing.”
“I love you,” Cowell told the drummer before each panelist voted to move Fletcher into the next round.
Fletcher thanked the Judges before taking his drum off stage, where AGT Host Crews waited.
“I can’t even describe how I feel,” Fletcher told Crews. “I feel even more excited than I was before.”
Season 18 of America’s Got Talent continues, with episodes airing at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
