The all-stars have arrived!
Monday night marked the season premiere of America's Got Talent: All-Stars — and it's clear the season will be a competitive one based on the first 10 acts who returned to be the best of the best.
The premiere episode of the America's Got Talent extension saw aerialist Alan Silva (AGT season 15), poet Aneeshwar Kunchala (Britain's Got Talent 2022), hand-balancing group Bello Sisters (AGT season 15), a Capella group Berywam (AGT season 14), singer Caly Bevier (AGT season 11), singer Jeanick Fournier (Canada's Got Talent winner 2022), singer Jimmie Herrod (AGT season 16), dance group Light Balance Kids (AGT season 14), magician Lioz (Australia's Got Talent 2020 and AGT season 10), and ventriloquist Terry Fator (AGT season 2 winner) go head-to-head in hopes of earning one of two spots in the finale.
A major moment came midway through the show when Light Balance Kids took the stage to deliver a show-stopping number. The electric performance ultimately earned the Ukrainian dance group the season's first Golden Buzzer from judge Howie Mandel, sending them straight to the finale.
"You've always been one of my favorite acts that I have seen in the history of America's Got Talent and there's such an amazing message here. Where you come from, at this point, it's arguably the darkest place in the world and you come across the globe to bring us light," Howie said before hitting his buzzer. "If I can do anything on behalf of America, on behalf of AGT: All-Stars, to bring you even more light than you brought us, I'd like to do that for you."
Speaking to PEOPLE via email after the magical moment, Maryna Zaitseva, Mariia Honiukova and Darya Cherepakha of Light Balance Kids say earning the buzzer "helped us to forget, for a moment, all the fears and suffering our country and compatriots are experiencing now."
"It was one of the biggest moments of pure joy and happiness in our lives," the group writes. "If we could say that it was like the best cure for the heaviest disease, it would [be] true."
"Everyone was just over the moon," they add. "Since February 24, 2022, we all fled from war to different countries so AGT: All Stars gave us this opportunity to get together and perform as a team again... It's such happiness to be able to come back to [a] normal life, see each other and dance together again."
Unbelievably, the group says they "didn't have a chance to do any preparations in Ukraine, so when we came to America, we had only five days to organize the whole process."
"It was big challenge, but anything is possible when you do what you love," the group notes. "Living in a war is like a waking nightmare. AGT has energized, and powerfully equipped us, with positive emotions, given us hope for a better future, and provided us with strong support... Our mission is to bring a little more light to this world. We are here to tell people that no matter what, light will always overcome darkness."
The dance group wasn't the only act that had viewers talking: Monday's episode also saw the return of season 2 winner and fan favorite ventriloquist Terry Fator take the stage.
Despite being one of the most successful acts to ever compete on AGT — and signing one of the biggest Las Vegas contracts of all time (three separate times!) — Terry said that he wanted to come back to inspire "a whole new set of fans."
"We've gotta keep inspiring people, that's why I'm here," he said on the show, prior to delivering a performance to "The Prayer" by Andrea Bocelli, "Rocket Man" by Elton John and "Cold Heart" by Dua Lipa and Elton John.
Speaking to PEOPLE also via email about his show-closing act, Terry, 57, says he "felt so at home on stage in front of the judges again."
"The technology of the stage is so much bigger and better than when I was on 15 years ago. I had a blast," he notes. "I hope [fans] will be able to see how I have grown as an entertainer, and that I'm always adding new voices and new concepts to my act. I also wanted to showcase what I do to international audiences so I can tour overseas."
Though he earned a standing ovation from both the judges and crowd — and was later proclaimed "the best of the best" by judge Simon Cowell — Terry was not one of the acts chosen to continue on to the finals. However, the ventriloquist says the results didn't discourage him one bit.
"I went on the show to support my AGT family. From the beginning I never considered it a competition; for me, it was always a showcase of the world's best talent," he writes. "When Simon told me that the show would not have happened if I have said no, it made me glad that all these acts were able to be seen across the globe because I was part of the show. Because I won 15 years ago, I'm established in Las Vegas and on tour; I just wanted to pay it forward so that whoever wins will be able to parlay it into great success."
And though he may not compete in the finale, Terry says he'll always be available for future AGT opportunities. "I would absolutely love to be a guest judge, and the idea of competing again is always on the table if AGT needs me."
In addition to Light Balance Kids, hand-balancing group The Bello Sisters were the other act to move onto the finale after winning the super fan vote.
America's Got Talent: All-Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
