Richard Goodall, a school janitor, amazed everyone with his powerful singing of ‘Eye of the Tiger’ on America’s Got Talent.
Richard picked ‘Eye of the Tiger’ for his semifinal show, and it fit his story perfectly. This famous song, written by Survivor for the movie Rocky III in 1982, matched Richard’s own underdog tale. He stood on stage in a shiny shirt and his usual cap, ready to sing his heart out.
As soon as Richard started, everyone knew this would be special. His strong voice filled the room. He had great musicians with him: someone on bass, keyboard, drums, and a very enthusiastic guitar player. The energy spread quickly, and even the show’s host, Terry Crews, danced backstage.
Richard sang with so much feeling, like a true rock star. The crowd loved it. They cheered and clapped, moved by his great voice and stage presence. It wasn’t just about his talent; it was about his heart and determination too.
The judges were very impressed. Heidi Klum, who had given Richard her Golden Buzzer earlier, was really excited. She said, “Are you kidding me right now?! Epic performance! Honestly, I thought that you could not top what you’d done last time, but you did it. You topped it. You topped it, topped it, topped it.”
Simon Cowell, known for being tough, had good things to say. He compared Richard to Rocky, the movie character. “It was the last song in the world I would expect you to sing, [but] it doesn’t matter because people love you,” Cowell said. “There’s something ironic about the fact that you’ve chosen a really underdog song and you are like the underdog in a way, but in a really positive way. And it was like you just got to the top of the steps. I love that!”
Sofia Vergara liked Richard’s song choice. She said, “I love that you picked such an iconic song. The people love you. It was amazing. I’m so happy for you. Enjoy this!”
Howie Mandel talked about how Richard touched people’s hearts. “You have the biggest heart in this whole competition,” he said. “We feel the love and we love you.”
Many people on the internet loved Richard’s performance. One person said, “Honestly, I came back to AGT because of Richard Goodall! This was how AGT was supposed to be – regular guy, hidden raw talent – not trained or semi-professionals! He has my 10 vote!”
Another fan wrote, “From his 1st performance to this one. In every SINGLE SONG that he has sung has been absolutely PHENOMENAL. I hope Richard wins! I can’t get enough of this guy!”
Richard’s story is special. He worked as a school janitor for 23 years, singing in the halls as he cleaned. Not many people knew about his talent. But Richard never gave up on his love for music or his dream to share it with more people.
When asked why he chose ‘Eye of the Tiger’, Richard gave a humble answer. “Every song that I sing means something in my life,” he said. “I’ve been singing in the halls for 23 years. I know how lucky I am to be here and it’s not wasted on me. Hopefully, this song connects with people.”
He also said he felt like Rocky, the movie boxer. “I’m fightin’ for it, plain and simple. I got this shot. I’m like Rocky, I gotta go for it.”
Richard’s great performance got him into the finals. He’ll compete against other talented acts like dance group Brent Street, comedian Learnmore Jonasi, dog-human dancers Roni Sagi & Rhythm, drone act Sky Elements, and magician Solange Kardinaly.
Richard Goodall’s story teaches us to keep trying and never give up on our dreams. It shows us that it’s never too late to use our gifted talents. Even if we’ve kept them hidden for a long time, they can still shine brightly when given a chance.
WATCH: Richard Goodall Stuns with ‘Eye of the Tiger’ Performance on AGT
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