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The Top 40 in review: #06 Lawrence Beamen

America knew Lawrence Beamen was a winning talent when they first saw him. The AGT advertising agency went to very great lengths to make sure of that.

Unfortunately for Beamen, his performance was not quite the Susan Boyle moment NBC had promised, but it was still made perfectly clear that he had an amazing voice. He chose an awkward song that did not allow him to demonstrate such until the very end, but it was still clear enough.

Beamen is now going into the Top 40 looking like an early favorite. Indeed he is one of the three top contenders, but he has two problems going into the Top 40, and the fact that he appears to be all but guaranteed a spot in the finale is one of them.

Conspiracy theories abound every season. Many fans of Donald Braswell still routinely use the comments section of these articles as a sounding board for their frustrations and refuse to accept any explanation other than that the entire Season 3 format was one great big conspiracy to make sure that Braswell did not win. This year, however, the conspiracy ranters may actually have some credibility to their claims. With so many of the top contenders cut by the judges, many are openly questioning if the judges have an intended winner in mind for this season. For many, the answer is yes, and they believe that intended winner is Lawrence Beamen.

Beamen is therefore going into the Top 40 the same way Neal E. Boyd did when Simon Cowell fingered him as his personal favorite: with a great big target on his back. Beamen is one of the strongest contenders this season, but he is also likely to be the object of many critics' homicidal fantasies. People will be voting for him just as much as against him, and Beamen should be wary of that.

More crucial, however, are his song choices. He has a very powerful voice, but he chose a song at the open call that prohibited him from showing off its full potential until the very end. With a target on his back as described above, many viewers are going to be just waiting for him to screw up so they can cry foul on AGT. Beamen needs to give them no opportunity, and by extension, no reason for the rest of America to ever doubt him. He has one of the strongest cases for the finale, but as of this moment, one is not guaranteed to him.

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, America’s Got Talent Examiner

After attending Bridgewater State for two years, Michael attempted to transform his creative writing into a stand-up comedy act. Inspired by Terry Fator, he now watches America's Got Talent as fan and forecaster alike.

Comments

  • mark/usa 2 years ago

    Great photo of Beaman, I must say... you packaged him well, and he is a great package too .
    i dont think anyone could produce the susan boyle moment. Susan blew it out of the ball park and had the confidence and swagger to boot. She said to the incorrigible Simon Cowell "THERE!" Susan knew what she was going to do and she said, 'im gonna make my audience watch!" AND boy did she? i even loved the old man River song by Beaman but he had the Jamie pugh fever. JITTERS!!

  • robo 2 years ago

    great job on this guy as well, he sang an old slave song they used to sing in the fields. Beaman should have sang any other song but that (a good gospel song perhaps). Well that is all I have to say on that.

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