82nd Airborne All-American Chorus performing on “America’s Got Talent” season 18.Photo:Trae Patton/NBC
Trae Patton/NBC
The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus won’t be going on any spending sprees if they’re crowned the winners of this season’sAmerica’s Got Talent.
Afterseason 18’sfinal qualifying roundTuesday, Staff Sgt. Marcus Gilbert, a spokesperson for the army group, explained why he and his fellow performers would not accept the $1 million cash prize for themselves if they win the competition.
“That million-dollar prize will go straight to a charity of whatever choiceAmerica’s Got Talentwants to send it to,” Gilbert toldParade. “We are simply here to represent our country, our division and that is it.”
82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus at the “America’s Got Talent” season 18 qualifiers results.Trae Patton/NBC via Getty
Trae Patton/NBC via Getty
The sergeant added that they want to “make sure all of their supporters are known” and emphasized that the group was “serious” about the competition and not “just messing around.”
“We’re really trying to reach every person who has ever been in a military uniform at all. We want to make sure that all of our supporters are known,” he continued. “We have so much 82nd pride. We just want to make sure that everybody who has allowed us to be here knows that we’re not here just messing around. We’re here, we’re serious and we’re going to compete.”
Their audition earlier this season — which saw them perform a crowd-pleasing classic withThe Temptations' hit song “My Girl” — was dedicated to the memory of Spc. Elijah Crawford.
Speaking backstage to PEOPLE after Tuesday’s live show, Gilbert said that being onAmerica’s Got Talentmeant “the world” to him.
“It means the world for me personally,” he shared. “I’ve been a singer for a long time and that was something that my dad started with me. My dad was also a paratrooper, so tonight was a huge night for me. I got to put those two loves together … it’s just a huge moment.”
Judge Terry Crews and the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus on “America’s Got Talent.".Trae Patton/NBC via Getty
The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus will be one of the 11 acts to move on toAmerica’s Got Talent’s two-night finale beginning Tuesday, Sept. 27.
Other competing acts includeMurmuration, Ahren Belisle,Putri Ariani,Lavender Darcangelo, the Ramadhani Brothers, Anna Deguzman,Chibi Unity, Adrian Stoica and Hurricane, theMzansi Youth Choirand Avantgardey.
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The two-night season 18 finale ofAmerica’s Got Talentkicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
source: people.com
