Terre Haute native Richard Goodall, Indiana’s “signing janitor,” performed Tuesday night in the finals of “America’s Got Talent.” Voting to crown this season’s champion closed at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18.
Goodall performed “Faithfully” by Journey on Tuesday’s show, earning raucous applause from the judges and the live audience.
“You are such an amazing man. You’re so humble, you’re so kind,” Heidi Klum said during the finals. “I want you to win this so bad, Richard.”
“We all need a hero right now, and you are our hero,” Simon Cowell said.
“I will make a prediction right now: I think you just sang yourself $1 million,” Howie Mandel said.
The winner will take home the show’s $1 million top prize.
The winner will be revealed in a star-studded finale on Tuesday, Sept. 24. During that show, the finalists will perform one more time alongside celebrities, including Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, singer Michael Bublé and comedian Gabriel Iglesias, among others.
Goodall, a custodian for Vigo County Schools, became a viral sensation after his rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” at a school talent show caught the attention of former Journey frontman Steve Perry and Mandel on TikTok.
“Howie, he posted me on his TikTok, and it said, ‘Needs to be on AGT,’” Goodall said.
He became a bigger hit when he earned a Golden Buzzer from Klum in his audition for the show.
Goodall returned to Los Angeles for the live quarterfinals in August, where he sang Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?” then punched his ticket to the finals with his version of “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor last week.
Following a stellar performance at the AGT 2024 finale, the keywords “Richard Goodall” and “Who won AGT 2024” have surged to the top of trending lists. The Indiana singing janitor captivated audiences and judges alike, marking a remarkable moment in the history of the reality show. Goodall’s exceptional performance has set a new standard for the competition and generated widespread excitement.
