Funkanometry wowed the judges on America’s Got Talent, earning an extended stay on Season 17 of the reality TV series.
The episode featuring Cowichan’s Carlow Rush, 20, and Nanaimo’s Jacksun Fryer, 19, who taped their audition on the show several weeks ago, aired Tuesday night on NBC.
The duo earned four yeses from judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara.
Asked by Cowell whether they were confident enough to think they could win, Rush said: “I think we could really give a lot of smiles to the world, and that’s kinda the soul of Funkanometry — positivity — and I think with that, it could bring us all the way.”
Their high-energy routine, featuring the songs Super Freak by Rick James and Earth, Wind and Fire’s September, had the audience on their feet.
“I love this audition,” Cowell said, adding: “I think you are fun, original. My only issue was … it wasn’t long enough!”
Audition episodes similar to the one which featured Funkanometry on Tuesday will run each week until July 5. The Vancouver Island duo will next appear on the show July 12, when the first “judge cuts” episodes begin to air. If the duo survive several rounds of cuts, they will join the permanent cast Aug. 9 for six weeks of live shows at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
America’s Got Talent, which drew 6.3-million viewers for its May 31 premiere, provides a huge opportunity for up-and-coming artists, with a $1-million prize going to the eventual winner.
In 2019, Rush and Fryer made it onto NBC’s World of Dance, the Emmy Award-winning reality competition hosted by Jennifer Lopez, but were voted off after three rounds of competition.
