What began as a routine audition quickly turned into one of the most memorable moments of America’s Got TalentSeason 14 when 12-year-old Ansley Burns from Easley, South Carolina, was asked to stop singing in the middle of her performance.
Burns, who had dreamed of appearing on the NBC talent competition since she was young, introduced herself to the judges before revealing that she would perform Aretha Franklin’s classic hit “Think.” Simon Cowell questioned the ambitious song choice, asking, “You’re going to do Aretha? At 12? Okay, you sure?” Ansley confidently replied that she was.
As she began singing, Cowell unexpectedly raised his hand and stopped the audition. The interruption surprised both the audience and the other judges, as contestants are rarely asked to stop in the middle of their performances.