A pop group from Ontario was voted off America’s Got Talent (AGT) on Wednesday night.
GFORCE failed to get enough viewer votes after performing Tuesday on this season’s first live broadcast from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
The wannabe Spice Girls, aged 10 to 13, had performed “It’s GFORCE,” a song they claimed to have written themselves that included some obvious pre-recorded harmonies.
While Toronto-born Howie Mandel was impressed (“I’m feeling the GFORCE! I’m filled with girl power!”), fellow AGT judge Simon Cowell told the girls they needed to find someone to write a better song for them.
"This just the beginning," read a tweet on the GFORCE account. "Thank you so much for all of your support and following us on this unforgettable experience."
GFORCE is not the only Canadian act to get the boot from AGT this season. Dance troupe DM Nation from Lévis, Quebec was eliminated on the “Judge Cuts” episode that aired on Aug. 6. (In 2015, the group made it to the quarterfinals before being voted out.)
GFORCE, assembled by Francesca Nicassio of Toronto’s Star Academy Talent, consists of Sarah De Carvalho, Holly Gorski, Michela Luci, Sienna Pesino, and Ava Ro. (The girls perform as OG, ZenG, BossG, SpeedyG and HypeG.)
The group auditioned for AGT in March by performing the original song “Break the Bank” at a taping inside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The four judges voted to put GFORCE forward to the next round. Video of their performance has been viewed more than 8.2 million times since the episode aired on June 4.
GFORCE survived the “Judge Cuts” episode, which aired on July 23, with another original, “Simon Says.” Video of that performance has garnered just under 2.7 million views.
Music acts that have won AGT have failed to go on to global fame and fortune. Although singer Grace VanderWaal parlayed her AGT victory into modest success (her 2017 album peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200), previous winners Bianca Ryan, Kevin Skinner, Michael Grimm and Landau Eugene Murphy fizzled out. Neal E. Boyd died last year.
AGT boasts that its winner receives $1 million (all figures U.S.) but, in fact, the grand prize is about $25,000 a year paid out over 40 years. (The winner can choose to take a lump sum instead, estimated to be a little less than $200,000 after taxes.)
Last year’s AGT winner, Canadian magician Shin Lim, has a show at the Mirage in Las Vegas until Dec. 22.