- The Detroit Youth Choir captured the nation's heart,
all of our hearts, I don't know why I said one,
on America's Got Talent.
Their journey to the finals started with a Golden Buzzer.
Take a look.
(Choir singing "Can't Hold Us")
- All it takes is one person to believe
in a young man or woman for them to reach their dreams,
and you are that man, sir.
(crowd cheers)
(celebratory music)
- I love all that joy in one place.
Please welcome the Choir Director Anthony White and members
of the choir Gwen Jackson and Simone
(background noise drowns out other sounds).
I love that clip because there's so much joy happening.
It's just pure joy.
And how did you feel, like when that Golden Buzzer was hit?
Were ya'll just going crazy?
- It was a heart-stopping moment.
I felt so much joy.
I was kinda surprised, what's was goin on 'cause I wasn't
familiar with it, so when it happened it was like
a life-changing experience.
- Oh my gosh. Simone how about you?
- Getting the Golden Buzzer was just like, wow!
Before we had actually gone on stage, I and a couple
of the other choir members were like if we get Simon
to stand up or get the Golden Buzzer, that will mean
so much to us.
So getting a Golden Buzzer was just like Oh.
And mind you, when we got it, when he even came out
on stage, I was the first person to drop to the floor.
I was like, this is not happening right now.
- Yeah, I love that feeling though,
the moment dropping to the floor, you're so excited.
Like if everything ya'll worked hard for.
It's like it shows, especially kids
'cause I grew up in choir.
I wrote you two letters backstage.
I grew up in choir, and that's where like
I found confidence, where I found my friends,
where I figured out who I was gonna be, my personality.
Everything kind of started coming in to like play there
with choir and sports for me, so I can imagine that moment
for ya'll was just crazy.
Like all your hard work finally paying off,
like they liked it.
That's so good.
Here's the greatest part.
You didn't win AGT, but do still feel victorious?
'Cause ya'll look like your vibe is just like
we won in life.
- Even though we didn't win, and a big shout out
to Kodi Lee, you know we didn't win it,
but we're still winners.
- Yeah.
- Yeah we still winners.
These young people are magnificent.
They work hard, and they pretty much, they're still winners.
- Yeah. I tell people I always sound like
I'm selling a Hallmark card or something,
but I really do mean it.
It is like even on The Voice, when we have all the artists
on there, the name of the game is somebody has to go home.
Like you know what I'm saying, every week.
So it's like, it's not that you're not talented.
It's just this isn't your moment, this specific time.
But that doesn't mean there won't be more moments.
So Gwen, I want to know like how this has impacted your life
like being a part of this choir.
- Well, being a part of this choir has impacted
my life a lot, you know.
Going through the passing of my father
when he got shot while working,
- [Kelly] I'm so sorry.
- It's OK.
Going through that is a really tough time,
and I couldn't cope with it.
And I had a lot of anxiety, and coming to DYC, it's like
awesome and amazing and you get to feel comforted
by everyone that's in the choir.
They're like family to me now.
Like they're so supportive.
- That's the key in life.
You're learning that lesson right now.
Yeah awe, I love you Simone.
So how has being in choir helped you, Simone?
- DYC has impacted me because before I joined
the choir, I wasn't always a 'Hey, hip, hip hurray'
type person, and so when I joined I found confidence.
I found comfort.
As I was younger, around the age of 12, I used to get
bullied because of my size and my skin complexion.
And I've gained confidence, and what doesn't kill you
makes you stronger.
- Yeah, Simone.
(audience applauds)
You see what she did there?
- And when I joined, so I was like you're beautiful.
I didn't trust often.
Mr. White has taught me how to trust.
He has been a father-figure, and yeah, I love you man.
(applause)
- Oh my gosh.
Okay, this story gets even better, ya'll.
When the choir came in second place and didn't bring home
the AGT grand-prize money, I'm trying real hard not to cry
in this moment, the people of Detroit stepped up, as you do
in a solid community, chipped in and gave them $1 million.
(applause)
Like first of all, that's a lot of money.
Like, wow!
Did ya'll think anything like that would ever,
one did you feel that you would have that kind of impact
on your community?
Is that just like an amazing, life-changing kind of thing.
- Yes, to receive that gift from our city,
for them to lift us up like that, it was such a
inspirational moment for us.
It meant a lot to me, you know as being over this
organization for so long, to see a tremendous gift like that
given to us.
It was just amazing.
- That hard work's come to fruition.
- All that hard work, yes, to fruition.
Everybody thinks like oh, $ 1 million, but it's
really an endowment, so that means that it's gonna live
for a while.
What it is, they disperse money based on the interest
of the million dollars, so that means that we'll have
a budget every year,
- That's smart.
- until it's, you know, no more.
- Yeah, that's very smart.
- I thought he'd spent it on his suit,
that's what I thought he'd done.
- Yeah, you're looking good.
All right, let's go to Carolyn Clifford
from WXYZ Channel 7 in Detroit, who is with Mayor Duggan
and the Detroit Youth Choir in Detroit.
Hi Carolyn.
(applause)
- Hey.
- Oh my gosh.
- Hey.
Oh, my.
We are so excited to be with you, Kelly, and to put Detroit
in the spotlight.
We're at the beautiful Greater Grace Temple
in the city of Detroit, and for your viewers who don't know
this is the place where we said goodbye to the late, great,
legendary queen of soul.
We had her memorial service here for her last year.
She meant so much to the city of Detroit.
And somebody else who means a lot to the city of Detroit
is this man right here, our great mayor,
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
Mayor Duggan, (applause drowns out sound) these kids
have meant so much to the city of Detroit, right?
What's the impact been?
- You know it is a time of real energy and optimism
in Detroit and, somehow, all of that crystallized around
these young men and women.
Their poise and confidence on the national stage.
You had people in this town dressed in purple,
guys I would have never thought had a purple tie in the back
of their closets were wearing them.
The buildings were lit up in purple.
This city was glued to the set every time they performed,
and they just made us so proud.
- So, so very proud, Kelly.
It's been absolutely amazing.
I know you have a question for the mayor there
from the studio.
- Yes, I do.
Okay, so how else has the city celebrated the choir,
just curious.
- Well, the members of the choir have all been
awarded a key to the city, which is the highest honor
a city can give its members.
The last person I gave a key to the city to was
two years ago to Aretha Franklin at her
final concert in Detroit.
- Well that's not a rough act to follow.
- And the Detroit Youth Choir is now the youngest
holders of keys to the city.
They will be the Grand Marshal next month
at America's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but I'm not sure any
of those quite measures up to the announcement to when they
got the million dollars.
- That was pretty amazing.
- Oh my gosh, so what would you like to say
Anthony, to the mayor in return.
- Well, Mayor Duggan, I just want to say thank you
for supporting our organization.
Thank you to the citizens of Detroit,
all the elected officials.
We just want to say we love, and we appreciate you,
Mayor Duggan.
(applause)
- And Mr. White has been doing it for 18 years
and a thousand young people whose lives he's shaped
when they weren't on national television,
and he's a treasure to the city of Detroit.
- Hey, I can already, woo.
Well I'm happy to announce the Detroit Youth Choir's
AGT journey is set to continue.
They're all heading to Las Vegas as part
of the America's Got Talent live show at the Paris Theater.
And they'll be sharing the stage
with Season 14 winner Kodi Lee, Ryan Niemiller,
dance group V.Unbeatable,
and violinist Tyler Butler-Figueroa.
It's all happening November 7th through the 10th, y'all.
All right, Carolyn, how does everyone feel
about Vegas there?
- Hey, how you guys feelin' about Vegas?
(cheering and applause)
- That's amazing.
- It is amazing.
I'm here with Lewis and Caria.
So Lewis, I mean what do you have to say
about Vegas, my man?
- I am so excited for Vegas, we all are.
Through this whole AGT experience, we've really bonded
as a choir and as close friends, and we just can't wait
to sing on one of the main shows in Vegas.
- And we can't wait to watch you, too.
Caria, what about you?
How are you feelin' about going to Vegas?
- I mean I'm so excited, I mean, to be able
to perform on this huge stage in Las Vegas.
It's something that would never have been possible
before DYC, and I'm usually this very shy, reserved type
of person, but DYC has just really brought me
out of my shell.
- Changing lives for sure, and we can't wait
to see you guys in Vegas, and we're gonna celebrate
right with you.
- Yes we are.
Are ya'll looking for, Simone, Gwen, are ya'll
looking forward to Vegas?
- Woop, woop!
(laughter and applause)
- Oh my gosh.
Simone is where the party's at ya'll.
She's funny.