Mandel applauded Leake'screativity and vulnerability. His poems featuring themes of grief, parenthood, race, and more were raw and unfiltered as Leake took the stage to open up about his life every week. Brandon Leake is the winner of the 15th season of America's Got Talent. Brandon's sister, who was four years younger than him, died at just 8 months old. There was another poet who was trying out with me. Information Brandon Leake, the spoken-word poet who won the 2020 edition of America's Got Talent, has signed with UTA for all areas. There was something more raw, in the way that it's like singing and talking and just being a human, a cappella no music, no nothing, just a raw heart beating in front of us, Howie marveled. On Tuesday's episode of the competition series, 27-year-old Brandon Leake took the stage in front of an empty audience due to the show's health precautions amid the pandemic to perform a spoken-word set. I know what this is. Do you have any advice for the Acts competing on AGT Season 17? Poet KYLIE MAR: And in an "AGT" first, no live audience was present due to coronavirus concerns. This pursuit led to Brandon leading workshops around the world with several curricula he developed himself. At present, he is 30 years old and his sun sign is Taurus. Published on July 1, 2020 11:34 AM. The poem touched every single Judge, but particularly Howie Mandel, who awarded Leake with a Golden Buzzer. You give the same effort of performance and excellence for 10 people as you do for 10,000. Brandon is also the founder and CEO of Called to Move, an organization that aids youth in self-actualizing and personally developing through the art of poetry. The poem touched every single Judge, but . What an amazing tribute. Leake was the first-ever spoken word poet to win America's Got Talent. But it was his first time, I believe, being moved by it the way I do it. "From the person who lives in Wyoming in a farm town who can relate to a city kid from Stockton, California. What was that experience like? Table of Biography [ show] Early Life Brandon Leake was born on May 4, 1992. Cowell called his act an "amazing tribute." Later, Leake emotionally said, "My mother's greatest fear is that I won't return home breathing, blood pulsing through these veins enough to still be her Pookie. Now I get the chance to be on the forefront and show the world what spoken-word can do. Brandon won 'AGT' season 15 in September 2020, taking home $1 million prize money, a new Kia Stinger, and the chance to perform in Luxor Las Vegas. America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. This is a very difficult thing to me to judge. Brandon Leake is AGT royalty. I handicapped myself for years because I was too concerned with how people looked at me, how people perceived me. "America's Got Talent" headed into uncharted territory Tuesday. Relive all of Brandon's full performances from the season. Get The America's. The NBC App is the best place to catch up on the most recent season of your favorite shows, watch live TV, and stream movies. Read on. But America's Got Talent was a place that said, Hey, we'll welcome you if you're good. And fortunately for me, I was good enough to make the show the second time around. / Good Day Sacramento. I bring more about life-experience things that everyday people go through. And once Simon heard Brandon speak, he understood where Brandons childhood anger was coming from and, like Howie, he was totally convinced. Praise be the kingdom. And I'm like, Sweet, let's do this.. In my early stages of doing spoken-word, there might've been five, 10 people in the crowd, but theres a level of professionalism you have to have. Leake tells his most personal stories to connect with others and inspire people far and wide. Brandon was announced as the winner ahead of Broken Roots, Cristina Rae, Roberta Battaglia and Alan Silva, winning $1 million, a new KIA, and the headlining of a show in Las Vegas. For his audition, Leake presented an emotional piece about mourning his late sister. As passionate fans of these shows, we provide news, analysis and fan engagement on Americas Got Talent, Britains Got Talent, The Voice, The X Factor, American Idol, The Four, The Masked Singer, The Worlds Best and its contestants.America's Got Talent 2020https://goo.gl/e12UJ8America's Got Talent News \u0026 Recapshttps://goo.gl/e12UJ8 But it was very beautiful for me. However, it was Howie who hit that Golden Buzzer the final Golden Buzzer of the season still left in play which automatically advanced Brandon to the live shows. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. I can feel your pain. After graduating, Leake joined a slam poetry team in Sacramento. After his win, Brandon said: "For an art form that has not been on the mainstream ever to have a chance to win Americas Got Talent is bigger than anything. STOCKTON (CBS13) Putting yourself out there may not be easy, but sending a message that builds unity may be worth it. "Love is the most vulnerable thing one will ever have," Leake recited, "And you must learn to hold onto it loosely so when it leaves it won't exit so painfully.". "I'm tired of playing God 'cause I gotta come to terms with the fact that my sister ain't never comin' back.". ET) on NBC. Spoiler alert! A good number of us really cheered each other on, even when we were competitiveIf you do great, that doesn't mean I can't, Do you have any advice for the Acts competing on, this roundup of his best moments from the show. ET on NBC. Just be you, both on and off stage. And even in this very direct competition, we were all still rooting for each other. Brandon's final performance was an emotional spoken word piece about his new-born daughter. Mandel hit the Golden Buzzer as just five pairs of hands clapped, sendingLeake straight to the live final shows. KYLIE MAR: Fans at home were crying, and even Simon Cowell, who was initially skeptical about Brandon's act, was impressed. Thesixth day of auditions, which was taped in March, marked the first episode of Season 15 impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,before countrywide lockdown orders sidelinedentertainment production. Brandon Leake, a 27-year-old college counselor from Stockton, California, shocked the judges with an emotionally poetic spoken-word performance, a first on the "AGT" stage. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing.". With the show open to acts of all ages, \"America's Got Talent\" continues to celebrate the variety format like no other show on television. After Shevon belted an original ballad that she wrote for Jamie, Through the Good and Bad, and received unanimous yeses, she and Jamie (who is now her husband) elatedly revealed to Terry backstage that they will soon be new parents themselves. Brandon's sister, who was four years younger than him, died at just 8 months old. And I'm tired of playing God, because Ive got to come to terms with the fact that my sister ain't never coming back. Brandon Leakeisa poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. How communal the talent pool became. Singers can go to, I would say the writing was always personal, but performing was not always personal. Tonight's poem is actually an ode to my sister, Brandon explained. Tearing up at the powerful performance, Vergara was speechless immediately after, as judges Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell gave a standing ovation, saying simply, "Wow." Male Brandon Leake (born May 4, 1992) is a spoken word poet, educator and motivational speaker and the winner of the fifteenth season of America's Got Talent. God blessed me with really long arms, so I just put my phone outside the water and type. According to Parade, Rafael was fatally shot in an attempted kidnapping in 1998. Brandon Leake's Preliminary performance in Episode AS06 consisted of performing a spoken word poem about a homeless man he met on the street with a moral of not judging a book by its cover. Brandon Leake has made it clear he's willing to take that leap. ", Klum also said Cowell has been "healing pretty fast," adding, "I think he's doing amazingly.". I am so grateful to be in this country. 'America's Got Talent' Winners: Where Are They Now? Sex We feel your pain. With the help of four other spoken word poets, he delivered a piece about his hometown of Stockton, California. "I did all of this just to give you that. Creator and Executive Producer Simon Cowell is back at the star-studded judges' table with fan-favorite comedian Howie Mandel. Brandon Leake is a poet from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. Since then, Leake has worked as an English teacher at Edison High School and an academic advisor at Delta College in Stockton. We are the ones who, as I said, capture history. The same way the Latino woman from Florida can relate to a young black kid from Cali," said Leake. Wildcats, singer Celina, Divas & Drummers of Compton, singer Kenadi Dodds, projection artists Lightwave Theatre Company and dancer Noah Epps. "America, sit quietly, listen and take it in.". One of the best days of Brandon's life was when his sister, Danielle Marie Gibson, was born. The reason I became so much better was actually 'cause I failed making the show the first time. Leake was born into a single parent home with his mother, Carla on the south side of Stockton, California. That's the cost of love: caring for someone's so much that you can't imagine living life without them, staring at a grave. Are you close to your sister? asked Howie. A good number of us really cheered each other on, even when we were competitiveIf you do great, that doesn't mean I can't also be great. HOWIE MANDEL: You're amazing, buddy. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Public File for KMAX-TV / Good Day Sacramento. "It's amazing to me that on Season 15, it's the first time that we're hearing somebody of spoken word," Mandel said. He continued: "There is something very, very special about you. After reciting his incredibly moving poem, Brandon got a standing ovation from judges Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel, while Sofia looked visibly stunned. No music, no nothing. You could either say it started in middle school with girls who were cute, and that's how I first started writing poetry. When or if Cowell, 60, will return has yet to be determined. He received enough votes to enter the Top 5 instead of Archie Williams. ", "Lines like that are what build the bridge between me and another person, and who would have thought that poetry or spoken word could do that," said Leake. There's something very, very special about you. Age (at audition) Brandon Leake's AGT Golden Buzzer Audition. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories, "What an amazing tribute," said Cowell. Brandon Leake is an award-winning spoken word poet, artistic educator and motivational speaker from Stockton, California. You don't have to be this hardened individual who steps in there and does this crazy competitive work. This is a very difficult thing for me to judge. The Modern Family actress then said that Leake's poem reminded her of her late brother. Don't go out there chasing anybody else. Mandel gave Leake a standing ovation once again following a performance that served as a prayer for his daughter. Never the same and never replicated. Your mother and I love you more than youll ever know., Today fans divided over Jenna's dress as some viewers say it's 'inappropriate', Sister Wives Janelle Brown doesnt approve of Christines new romance, Inside 1000-lb Sisters stars Amy and Michael's secret fights over kids, Today's Savannah Guthrie abruptly leaves show after scary new medical diagnosis, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Brandon Leake is the winner of Americas Got Talent season 15, Leake is a spoken word poet and motivational speaker, Brandon blew away judge Howie Mandel after he performed a piece about the loss of his sister, Brandon met his wife Anna at one of his shows in Stockton, Leake was born on the south side of Stockton, California, Brandon has a daughter of six months named Aaliyah, AGT's Heidi Klum hits the Golden Buzzer pickingCristina Rae for the finals.