Dance-artist Kenichi Ebina was crowned the “America's Got Talent” winner on Wednesday night, marking the end of the reality talent show's eighth season.
Ebina and comedian Taylor Williamson were the last two acts left standing as host Nick Cannon announced Ebina's victory.
America's votes following Tuesday night's final performances placed the other four finalists in the following order prior to the big reveal:
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Singer songwriter Cami Bradley
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Magician Collins Key
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Operatic trio Forte
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Country singer Jimmy Rose
The rest of the season finale featured performances that paired each of the finalists with established acts, including Josh Groban with Forte and Gavin Degraw with Bradley.
Auditions for Season 9 of “America's Got Talent” will get underway next month and the show is expected back next May or June.
Personal Take
Although most of us were probably surprised by a few of the “America's Got Talent” finalists' placings in America's vote, Ebina's win is hard to discount or argue with. His performances throughout the season were imaginative, entertaining and creative.
So maybe your favorite act didn't win, but at least someone who deserved to win did.
Bradley's sixth-place and Forte's fourth-place finishes were perhaps the night's biggest surprises, but in the end, all that matters is who finished first—and this viewer is okay with who did.
Each of the final six acts will likely go on to successful entertainment careers, should they choose, so if your favorite didn't win, don't worry, you'll likely hear from them again soon.
The only act this viewer can see not going on to bigger and better things is Forte because each of the singers in the group is already accomplished in the industry.
And so the curtain descends on what's arguably the best season of “America's Got Talent” to date.
It's going to be hard to top it next season, but the depth of this season's talent pool should do wonders in attracting top-notch talent next time around.
Thank you for an entertaining summer, “AGT.”
