[cheers and applause]
[dramatic music]
- Hello. - Hello.
- Very nice to meet you. What's your name, please?
- My name is Kieran Rhodes. I am 20 years old.
And I am from Burnt Hills, New York.
- Okay, Kieran. Tell us about you.
- So I was a baseball player
my whole life... - Yeah.
- And I was planning to play baseball in college.
And then when high school came around, freshman year,
I had this sudden urge to learn how to play music,
so I sat down at the piano,
and I watched some YouTube videos.
And I learned who Billy Joel was,
and I saw what he was doing, and I was like,
"That's what I want to do for the rest of my life."
And I taught myself how to play piano.
I taught myself how to sing.
And then I taught myself how to write songs.
And then four years later,
I got accepted into Berklee College of Music.
- Wow. - Thank you.
- Wow.
- And that's where I go to school now.
- So what's the percentage of people who are self-taught
at a school like that?
- Not many. Not many at all.
It's very, actually, intimidating being there,
'cause so many people there have been training
their whole lives to go to that school,
and it's everything to them,
but, you know, I just try and remember who I am
and, you know, why I'm there and, you know, what I do.
[chuckles]
- So I'm really curious why you decided to come on "AGT."
- I think "AGT" is the best place
for me to introduce myself to the world.
- I like that. - Yeah.
- Okay. Well, we can't wait.
Good luck. - Thank you so much.
- Are you gonna sing a Billy Joel song?
- Yes, I am. I am.
[cheers and applause]
- He's very shy and nervous. - Yeah.
- Young. - It's interesting.
- [playing Billy Joel's "She's Got a Way"]
♪ She's got a way about her
♪
♪ I don't know what it is
♪ But I know that I can't live without her ♪
♪ And she's got a way of pleasing ♪
♪
♪ Mm, I don't know what it is
♪ But there doesn't have
♪ To be a reason anyway
♪
[stops playing]
- Okay, let me ask a question. Sorry.
So you write your own songs.
- I do write my own songs.
- Have you got one with you? - Sure.
It's called "Disengage."
- And what's it about?
- I wrote this song last semester in the fall.
I went through a lot of depression during that time.
And I wrote this song trying to get through that,
and I hope that it can resonate with you.
- Okay. Thank you, Kieran. - Oh, wow.
- Yeah. - Wow.
[cheers and applause]
- [playing "Disengage]
♪
♪ Soon she'll be gone
♪
♪ She'll pack up shop
♪ And run along
♪ And you can't stop it
♪
♪ It's a real high hurdle
♪ But you'll have to hop it
♪
♪ Disengage
♪
♪ Get out of range
- Wow.
- ♪ We weren't made
♪ To change
♪ Someone's got to help me
♪ Disengage
♪
♪ This is all inside your head ♪
♪
♪ Your life is fine, your love ain't dead ♪
♪
♪ The worst part is
♪ Your mind keeps moving
♪ But this life is a lesson
♪ And we're just improving
♪ Someone's got to help me
♪ Help me
♪ Disengage
[end notes play]
[wild cheering]
- Bravo.
Bravo!
- Wow. I think we just witnessed
something super special right now.
- Wow.
- Poor kid.
- Sofía.
- Spectacular.
I loved it. - Thank you so much.
- I could hear you play and sing for hours.
I was so happy.
You're so talented.
- Thank you. - You have youth, talent.
You have it all.
- Thank you so much. Thank you. - Howie.
- It was amazing. It was spectacular.
I can feel the emotion.
And I can tell you're nervous, but you are a star, young man.
- Thank you.
- Heidi.
- There's, like, a certain melancholy
in your voice when you sing.
It was beautiful.
You know, you take it for granted
when you someone sing and play at the piano,
but it's so hard to do, and you are so good at it.
Wow. - Thank you so much.
Thank you.
- Kieran, you're a very, very, very interesting person,
because you're very talented,
and from what you've told us,
it sounds like people have been giving you a hard time.
And I think, you know,
when I was starting off in the music business,
there were other kids, boys--
they would taunt me 'cause I was in the mailroom.
And it was like, okay, well, I didn't have a college degree,
but I just made my way through it.
But it still is in my head now,
and I think what you're going through is not dissimilar.
You know, it plays on your mind, and you get depressed,
but I didn't have the talent you've got,
because you're a great singer.
I really liked your original song,
and I really do hope
this audition can change your life...
- Thank you. - In so many ways.
Okay. We're gonna vote now.
Let me start with you, Howie.
- Well, it's a yes!
- [chuckles]
- Sofía. - Yes!
- Heidi. - It's a yes from me!
- Kieran, you've got--
I'm gonna work out--
over 3,000 yeses.
- [mouths words]
♪
[mouths words]
♪
- Aw. - Poor kid.
- Ah, he's talented. - That was beautiful.
- I cannot even describe what I'm feeling right now.
I'm so, so grateful for this opportunity.
♪
- [squeals]
- ♪ Just what you do
♪
- You did so great.
- Thank you.