A choir from Canada shocked the America’s Got Talent judges with a performance that aired on Tuesday.
Montreal’s Dremeka Choir (formerly known as the Growlers Choir) screamed “O Fortuna,” the Carmina Burana piece famously used in 1976's The Omen, followed by the 2003 Britney Spears song “Toxic.”
“It was so fantastically creepy,” said AGT judge Simon Cowell. “But I’m all for going over to the dark side occasionally, so I get it.”
Sofia Vergara called the performance “unexpected” but “very spectacular and creative” and Canada’s Howie Mandel said: “I love it. I didn’t know you even existed and I’m so thrilled that I think you’re opening the eyes and ears of America on our stage.”
Heidi Klum was the lone dissenter, giving Dremeka a red “X” during the audition and then admitting she “didn’t particularly love it.” She questioned the choir’s commercial appeal. “I don’t think that people would necessarily buy a ticket to come and watch this,” said Klum.
But, with three “yes” votes, Dremeka Choir advanced to the next round in the competition.
On its website, the Dremeka Choir bills itself as “the only vocal ensemble in the world exclusively made up of metal singers.”
Asked by Cowell what they would do it they won AGT, creative director Pierre-Luc Senécal replied: “There is one thing that we are passionate about: it’s music and sharing the music. So we’d use the money so we could do this full time.”
AGT casts performers from all over the world but viewers typically vote for an American winner. (Canadian magician Shin Lim won in 2018, British comedian Paul Zerdin won in 2015 and Japan’s Kenichi Ebina won in 2013).
Although the show hypes a million-dollar prize, it’s actually paid out over 40 years so most winners choose to take the lump sum option, which can be in the low six-figures after taxes.
Watch the audition below: