Aidan Bryant's First and Last AGT Performances Show How Far He's Come
"I've been working for this really hard, and I just feel like it really paid off this time," Bryant said following his AGT: All-Stars win.
America's Got Talent: All-Stars has officially declared a winner, Aidan Bryant, who charmed the country and Judges with his astounding aerial Act that took the competition to new heights.
Bryant first stole the show in Season 16 of America's Got Talent, where the teenage aerialist revealed he is self-taught. Bryant's charm and jaw-dropping Act got him all the way to the finale, where it was a close race to the crown. Bryant ultimately earned second place behind the magician Dustin Tavella, but when he heard about AGT: All-Stars, he knew a second chance at victory was on the horizon.
And Bryant made the most out of the opportunity, with AGT Superfans voting him the champion. To celebrate, we're looking back at Bryant's first and last performances on the AGT stage to see how far the sky-high aerialist has come.
Meet Aidan Bryant, Season 16's self-taught Act
We first met Bryant during his gravity-defying Season 16 Audition, where he stole the show with a breathtaking routine set to Zayde Wolf's cover of "Shout" by Tears for Fears. Bryant had the AGT Judges and crowd on the edge of their seats. His grace and fearlessness made a huge impression.
The Audition earned Bryant a standing ovation from Judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara, spinning him to the next stage of the competition. With each passing performance, Bryant turned up the intensity until he made it all the way to the finale. But as Bryant stood on the stage for the results, he found out he fell just short of the win.
“I watched Aidan’s face when the winner [in Season 16] was announced, and I've never seen anyone look more gutted in my life," Cowell said. "And I remember going up to you afterwards and saying, 'I promise you this is not the end.' I think you’re one of the most talented Contestants we’ve ever had."
Aidan Bryant Puts his Title on the Line on America's Got Talent: Fantasy League
Everyone loves a comeback, and Bryant was one of the many beloved Acts that returned for AGT: All-Stars. In the two years Bryant had between seasons, he dedicated his time and effort to perfecting his craft. Once Bryant landed himself in AGT: All-Stars' Top 11, he realized his dream might come true.
"To be in the finals means that all my hard work since I was 14 years old, practicing in the backyard in the tree, has paid off," Bryant revealed to People. "When I came in second place on Season 16, I never dreamed that I would make it that far, but now I feel like this is my second chance to prove to the world that I have gone from an amateur to a professional aerialist."
Bryant did just that by bringing his A-game for his final Act of AGT: All Stars, a dangerous routine that had the Judges waiting with bated breath. As Bryant took his final bow, the crowd went insane, and the Judges were left nearly speechless by the routine. Ultimately, Bryant won the entire competition. However, if there's one thing a self-taught aerialist knows, it's risk. That's why he was unafraid to return once again for America's Got Talent: Fantasy League where he put his winning title on the line as part of Heidi Klum's Dream Team.
At the behest of his mentor, Klum, Bryant incorporated a tree into his latest act to harken back to his roots as an amateur aerialist who taught himself his magnificent moves as a child in the backyard of his grandmother’s home. Klum wanted him to showcase just how impressive his talent is by reminding the voting audience of his own very humble beginnings. Performing to a cover of "California Dreaming," Bryant did his usual graceful dancing combined with gravity-defying acrobatics that left audiences and the judges in awe of just how much his hard work and dedication to his craft have paid off over the years.
Mel B called the performance "perfection" while Simon Cowell gave it an 11 out of 10 and commended the young performer for having the confidence to put his title as a Got Talent winner on the line.
Tune in every Monday at 8/7c on NBC to watch AGT: Fantasy League. If you can’t watch the show live, new episodes will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.
