Bird & Byron Fly Into Live Rounds on ‘AGT’ With ‘Haunting’ Original Song: Watch

For Blake Bergere, trading the grill for the grand stage represents a life-changing pursuit. The aspiring singer, alongside his lifelong friend and musical collaborator Nick Lorenz, is currently chasing a monumental dream on NBC’s hit competition series, America’s Got Talent.

Hailing from New Albany, Ohio, the talented duo performs under the moniker Bird & Byron during the show’s 21st season. Bergere brings a rich, soulful vocal delivery, while Lorenz provides atmospheric, effects-driven guitar textures paired with programmed instrumentation. Rather than taking the conventional route, the pair advanced through the newly introduced Judges’ Callbacks—a high-stakes second-chance round reserved for standout acts from the initial auditions.

During Tuesday night’s pivotal episode, standing on the precipice of elimination, the musical partners delivered a compelling performance of an original track titled “By My Side.” For Bergere, who maintains a day job at a local burger joint back home, the competition carries immense weight. “There’s a lot on the line here,” he shared in an introductory segment, making pre-performance jitters entirely understandable.

Following their set, judge Howie Mandel offered high praise tempered with constructive critique. “I think you’re great, and your music and your voice is so distinctive,” Mandel noted. “But, you know, we’re talking about the showmanship.”

For this crucial phase of the Judges’ Callbacks, Mandel and fellow judge Sofía Vergara were joined by a panel of celebrity guest advisors, including comedian Nikki Glaser, influencer Lele Pons, and pop star Sebastián Yatra.

Glaser offered Bergere some direct guidance regarding stage presence. “I saw you close your eyes,” she observed. “You didn’t open them again. And I was thinking, man, if he opened his eyes, he’d see we’re all just grooving so hard right now. And you’re scared of seeing something that wasn’t even happening.” Urging him to embrace the spotlight, she added, “Be the frontman.”

Mandel echoed these sentiments, advising them to break down barriers between themselves and the audience. “You’re closing us off. Share the vibe. And share the vibe with America.”

As the final act of the evening to learn their fate, the childhood friends faced an anxious wait before Mandel delivered his verdict. Praising their haunting arrangements and distinct originality, Mandel declared, “I think that you guys, regardless of what happens here, are already a success. If it was up to me, I would let you go to the live show.”

Following a tense moment of dramatic pause, Mandel exercised his authority and officially sent them through to the next round. Bird & Byron will now advance to the live performances alongside fellow contenders Nene Royal, Cris Sosa, Daniel Alvarez, Kameron Marshall, Brook Lynn, and Olivia Befus. Meanwhile, acts such as Naimana and Daniele, Rynia Kando, Vahtang, and Darrell Moten were eliminated from the competition.

The highly anticipated Live Quarterfinals are scheduled to kick off on Tuesday, August 18, on NBC, with streaming availability the following day on Peacock.

Catch up on the performance and results in the videos below.

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