Five small powerhouses dominated the AGT stage as the lights went on and the music dropped. GForce, who were only 10 or 12 years old at the time, met Simon Cowell and released “Simon Says,” an attitude-packed original dripping with sass and fury.
Every line was a challenge, every movement exuded confidence, and the entire crowd felt the intensity. The judges braced themselves. The audience let up a yell. And Simon? For once, the individual who had assessed everyone else found himself under scrutiny. The shock was evident on his face as his brows rose and his sneer faltered. These females were not there to impress him. They were coming to claim him. And they did.
Despite his extensive experience, Simon Cowell was unprepared for this performance on America’s Got Talent! During the judging cuts round, girl trio GForce, aged 10 to 12, stunned the big boss with a cheeky original song, “Simon Says.”. Cowell was surprised when they disclosed the song title to him, and the teenage group then wowed the crowd with a fierce performance packed with attitude.
The five-piece ensemble’s original song, about wannabe stars auditioning for talent shows, described their ambitions, dreams, and the attitude they wished to bring to the table. Despite their youth, GForce exuded confidence and an attitude reminiscent of older performers. Such a powerful performance from such a young vocal ensemble is truly remarkable and must be witnessed to be believed.
GForce’s astounding performance garnered 5.5 million views on YouTube, securing its position as one of the most popular vocal group performances in the show’s history. Judge Gabrielle Union picked up on what GForce was saying and informed the ladies, “The reason I wanted to be a judge on America’s Got Talent is exactly for this moment. What made me an even larger admirer was when you remarked, ‘We are our own bosses and always have been.’ You had me at ‘hello.'”
Dwyane Wade, a guest judge, then added, “You guys are fantastic. Your swagger, confidence, and attitude are truly impressive. Whatever you’re selling, I’ll purchase it. However, every fairy tale requires a villain, and Howie Mandel appeared keen to dampen GForce’s spirits, claiming, “You’re adorable, you’re good dancers, you’re good singers.” But I could not hear a word. “I only heard ‘Simon says’ and ‘jump.'” Another popular video from GForce on YouTube is their adorable ukulele version of Jonas Blue’s “Rise.”
Unsurprisingly, the audience responded negatively to Mandel’s pessimistic critique. At this time, GForce addressed Cowell directly, saying, “What is Simon going to say?”
Cowell then put the youngsters on hold for a moment, adding, “I have a huge pet hatred for groups that are instructed what to say; everything is scripted. It never works. Because it is all about genuineness.” The ladies became concerned at this point, but then Cowell delivered his finisher, stating, “But having said that, I think this is a way, way better audition than the first time.”