Hunter Price, a 25-year-old singer from Georgia, started his America’s Got Talent (AGT) audition by performing the classic hit “Everything I Do” by Bryan Adams. However, the performance was immediately underwhelming, prompting judge Simon Cowell to abruptly stop the music. Cowell bluntly told Hunter that his rendition was “very generic” and sounded like a song he had heard a “million times” in karaoke competitions. This dramatic intervention forced Hunter into a high-stakes, mid-audition pivot, giving him a second chance by asking if he had an original song he could perform instead.
The atmosphere shifted instantly when Hunter revealed that he had been writing his own music, inspired by artists like Taylor Swift. He quickly launched into his original song, “Left Behind.” This performance was a stark contrast to his first attempt. The song, which had a great melody and meaningful lyrics about a painful past, revealed a depth and authenticity that had been completely hidden before. Hunter also shared a poignant part of his story, mentioning that he had been on his own since age 18 and had experienced times when he “haven’t had enough money to eat,” lending emotional weight to his songwriting.
The judges acknowledged that they had seen “two different auditions.” Sofía Vergara, who admitted she would have given him a “no” after the first song, was now the first to give him a “yes.” Howie Mandel was still somewhat skeptical, advising Hunter to “open up” and be more genuine. Simon Cowell, however, recognized the potential, concluding that Hunter was a better songwriter than he realized and that his biggest barrier was trying too hard to please. Ultimately, the raw, honest talent displayed in his original song earned Hunter a total of three “yeses,” providing him with a vital second chance to prove himself as an authentic artist.
