Elsie, a 32-year-old mom and singer-songwriter from Mississippi, performed an original that some liked more than others.

Country artist’s original tune causes rift among America’s Got Talent judges: ‘You should have done a different song’

Elsie, a 32-year-old mom and singer-songwriter from Mississippi, performed an original that some liked more than others.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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July 14, 2026 10:18 p.m. ET

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‘America’s Got Talent’ contestant Elsie auditions. Credit:

Chris Haston/NBC

- The *America’s Got Talent* judges met singer-songwriter Elsie on Tuesday’s episode.

- Elsie’s original song left most of them with a good impression of her, though not of her song.

- Judge Howie Mandel was vocal about not having learned enough about the contestant.

Part of the drama on* **America’s Got Talent* has always come from friction among the judges, who regularly have very different views of the acts before them.

Such was the case Tuesday, when Elsie, a 32-year-old mom and singer-songwriter from Mississippi, who said she’d finally decided to chase her own dream, performed an original, rollicking song. How well it went depends on who you ask.

“You’re clearly an amazing singer,” former Spice Girls member Mel B began, “but I think, for me personally, you should have done a different song, because I think your voice is so much bigger and better than what you just showed us. You’re beautiful. You’re vocals were on point. But I think you’ve got a lot more in the tank.”

Howie Mandel’s evaluation began well, but ended up eliciting boos from the audience.

“From the moment you walked out, I went, ‘This is a star.’ You look like a star, you sound like a star,” Mandel said. “But I don’t know if it was the song or the production, but there’s so much backing track. And I think at this point in the show, in your first audition, I want to know who you are. I have no idea who you are yet.”

Sofia Vergara disagreed with the comedian.

“Well, I do think you have it. I think it was just a wrong choice, a little bad luck today,” the *Modern Family* alum said. “I’m gonna say yes, because I want to give you another chance.” She added that, while she “didn’t love the song,” she was a fan of the contestant.

Judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, Sofia Vergara, are Simon Cowell on ‘America’s Got Talent’.

Chris Haston/NBC

Then it was time to hear from Simon Cowell, who had a surprising view.

“Well, I think that you have everything it takes to do well,” Cowell said. “I think that what happened today is that you overprepped. Weirdly, it’s about letting go of some of the stuff and being a little bit more raw. You have star potential, that’s what it is. You have a glow about you.”

But Mandel’s feelings remained unchanged.

“I can only judge what I hear and how I feel. I didn’t like the production,” Mandel said. “I can’t give you a yes. It’s a no for me.”

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Mel B’s mouth dropped open.

Cowell made his final decision: “OK, this is a million percent yes”

When it was her turn for the final weigh in, Mel B told Mandel, “I do actually agree with what you were saying.” But she cast a vote for Elsie to return to the *AGT* stage in the next round, although she advised the contestant to take the advice she had received from the judges when she enters the next stage of competition with three “yes” votes.

Elsie, who’d been emotional the entire time, teared up.

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When host Terry Crews asked her backstage how she felt about making changes, she was adamant.

“Listen, I’m from Mississippi. I’ll got out there and stomp and clap and sing with no music, OK?” she answered Crews, which made him laugh.

*America’s Got Talent *airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

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Source: “EW Reality”