America's Got Talent: Sarah Hardwig and Joel Mawhinney Among Standout Acts Advancing on NBC Competition

Sarah Hardwig earns four yeses from the judges

Blind Naples, Florida country singer Sarah Hardwig received a standing ovation and four "yeses" from the judges during her July 21 audition on NBC's "America's Got Talent," performing Lainey Wilson's "Heart Like a Truck" while playing guitar. The 23-year-old, a 2021 Naples High graduate who now pursues her music career in Nashville after graduating from Belmont University, has emerged as a breakout contestant on this season of the competition. Her audition has also drawn a write-up from national entertainment outlet Billboard, according to the Naples Daily News.

A viral TikTok video led to her audition invitation

Hardwig was invited to audition after a TikTok video of her singing Heart's "Alone" at a Nashville karaoke spot went viral roughly a year ago, her father told the Naples Daily News. The clip has since accumulated 3.7 million views, with commenters tagging "The Voice," "American Idol" and even the Super Bowl. Producers eventually emailed her in January 2026 inviting her to perform at a Nashville showcase, then to audition in Los Angeles in March 2026, when this season's audition episodes were recorded.

Leber's Congenital Amaurosis shaped her path to music

Hardwig was born blind due to Leber's Congenital Amaurosis, a genetic eye condition she was diagnosed with at 5 months old. Beyond the TikTok clip, a YouTube video of her singing alongside Aerosmith's Steven Tyler has drawn more than 31,000 views, adding to her online profile. She has performed at Nashville venues including The Listening Room and the Tin Roof while building her country singer-songwriter career.

Former Blue Peter host Joel Mawhinney stuns with personalized magic

Joel Mawhinney, a former presenter on the British children's program "Blue Peter," advanced on "America's Got Talent" with a magic act built around items personally meaningful to the judges. The illusion appeared to involve Mawhinney entering the judges' dressing rooms and seemingly destroying their prized possessions with a hammer, before revealing each object hidden in a different spot around the set. Howie Mandel's phone was found inside a locked box and began receiving texts from Mawhinney, Sofia Vergara's framed picture of her dog was concealed inside her seat cushion, and Mel B's bracelet was hidden in one of the show's iconic red buzzers.

Judges weigh in on Mawhinney's act and live-show prospects

Mel B told Mawhinney, "I don't know how you do it. I believe in magic but I loved it," while Mandel called him "charming" and praised the performance. Vergara voted yes, and Simon Cowell expressed reservations about the act's length and whether it could be replicated on a live broadcast. Mawhinney said he had been invited to audition for the show since 2020 but initially hesitated because of the risk; he took the opportunity after leaving "Blue Peter" and refocusing on his magic career, crediting his live television experience with preparing him for the audition environment.

Upcoming episodes and season schedule

Hardwig is scheduled to return to "America's Got Talent" on July 28 to learn whether she advances to the live episodes, which begin Aug. 18 with two episodes per week, according to NBC's website. The show airs at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesdays on NBC and streams the following day on Peacock. This season's judging panel consists of Cowell, Vergara, Mandel and Mel B.