America's Got Talent Season 21 Debuts with Judges Callbacks

The 21st season of "America's Got Talent" premieres on Tuesday, June 2, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, returning host Terry Crews and judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara, and Mel B to the search for the nation's next standout performer. This season introduces a significant new format twist: a Judges Callbacks round.

Following the initial auditions, the judges will select a group of acts they initially turned down for a second chance to compete for a spot in the live shows. Judge Simon Cowell explained the reasoning behind the change, stating the producers wanted to be more transparent about how acts are selected for the live rounds. He noted that the callback process allows the judges to mentor the returning performers and make more informed decisions. The callback pool will not include acts that receive a Golden Buzzer, which grants direct entry to the live shows.

This season, each judge and host Terry Crews will have two Golden Buzzers to award, making ten available in total. A preview for the season indicates that, for the first time, three Golden Buzzers will be awarded in a single episode, with one going to a 14-year-old singer. Judge Sofía Vergara remarked that the...