Saline's Sean Panikkar featured on 'America's Got Talent'
Forte
NBC
Forte consists of international singers who previously didn't know each other but connected online. And though Panikkar was not 1 or the group's original 3 members, he was recruited after a member (South Korea's Hana Ryu) dropped out due to visa issues that arose following the first audition.
You'll see from the clip below, however, that Panikkar, in his first audition for "AGT"'s judges, wowed Howard Stern enough that the radio shock jock pronounced Panikkar the strongest vocalist of the 3.
In this more recent performance on "AGT," the trio sang "Somewhere," from "West Side Story."
The 3 acts who will compete in the semifinals against Forte on "AGT" are stand-up comic Angela Hoover; a dance team called Innovative Force; and country music singer Marty Brown.
The contestants are competing for a $1 million prize, but Panikkar also aims to expose mainstream viewers to operatic singing.
"What I've found is when people give it a chance they love it," Panikkar told The Saline Reporter.
Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.
Comments
dregola
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 11:59 a.m.
I disagree with Billy. American Idol is the show that limits contestants to amateur status. As someone who has friends who have tried to be on many of these shows, America's Got Talent, goes out of their way to find professional acts. From the beginning of the show they have featured acts that are fully managed and financially viable. They also include amateur acts, but in general they actively seek professionals and then don't build up their story to include that bit of information. That is a deceptive tactic on America's Got Talent's part. I have been watching for a few years and I knew I had seen Brad Beyers before so I googled him and it turns out he was on season 4 and the producers invited him back. There is no way he sat in a giant crowd and was randomly picked out of a line. Then I started googling the contestants and Marty Brown, the clear frontrunner as country singers always do well in these things, has been a professional singer since the 70's! I am now one of his over 700,000 facebook likes, virtually all of which were there BEFORE he started the show. He let me down in the last round by singing out of tune, cracking, and never picking a single note on his guitar so I didn't vote for him, but he still got through and was in the top three of the night. That is because he is a professional and has built up a fan base. The Forte guys are all professionals individually, but their act is being discovered before our eyes. Collins Key is the real jewel of the show. I expect it to come down to Marty and Collins, but now that I know Forte has a local guy I might send a vote or two their way.
Billy
Mon, Aug 5, 2013 : 7:28 p.m.
I have mixed feelings about people like him being on the show. He's already a WELL established individual. There's no "discovery" here. He is already well known enough to where he has a successful career AS a singer. This show really isn't for establish talent...and it seems like more and more THAT is what ends up on the show.
Jenn McKee
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 2:52 p.m.
An interesting point, but I'd counter that while Panikkar may be well-established in opera circles, the people who might not go to opera or classical music performances - a good chunk of the American populace - would likely never be exposed to his talent unless he appeared on a show like AGT. Plus, he's perhaps established as a solo singer, but part of what's intriguing to the judges and the fans is the way these performers, who never met before, JUST came together for the purposes of trying to form a new group.