America’s Got Talent found its latest champion Wednesday after a surprise-filled two-hour finale event. The NBC reality competition series revealed Kodi Lee as this year’s winner of the $1 million prize, as well as a headlining spot at the America’s Got Talent Live stage show in Las Vegas.
The singer stole audiences and fans’ hearts with his powerful vocals. His story also resonated with audiences after it was revealed he was blind and has autism. His mother previously spoke about how Lee found a way to express himself from a young age through music.
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Lee lead the roster of other Top 10 acts who made it to finals week. The episode also revealed the Top 5 before revealing the winner, in order of how they landed with fan votes from second to fifth place: Detroit Youth Choir, Ryan Niemiller, V. Unbeatable and Voices of Service.
The acts who didn’t make it into the Top 5 included Benicio Bryant, Emanne Beasha, Ndlovu Youth Choir, Light Balance Kids and Tyler Butler-Figueroa.
The big announcement came at the end of an eventful Results episode, featuring a special performance from Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actress, singer and entertainer Cher. Billy Ray Cyrus also performed during the star-studded finale, along with Macklemore, Leona Lewis, Latin singer Ozuna, internationally-known DJ Kygo, pianist Lang Lang and AWE wrestler Chris Jericho.
Julianne Hough wrapped up her first season as a judge on the NBC competition show with the world premiere performance of her new original song, “Transform.”
Season 13 finalist and violinist Brian King Joseph also made his triumphant return to the AGT stage during the episode. NBC also took the opportunity to introduce audiences to the network’s newest late-night talk show host Lilly Singh ahead of the premiere of A Little Late With Lilly Singh.
Ahead of the finale episode, many fans of the series had already predicted Lee would be the frontrunner of the season. Hough previously told PEOPLE it would be tough to pick the best out of the multi-talented top 10.
“It’s going to be really difficult because everybody was so amazing,” she told the outlet ahead of the finale week of competition. “I don’t know even know who’s gonna go and who’s not. Thank goodness America is another judge.”
America’s Got Talent Live, featuring a headlining performance from tonight’s winner, will be held Nov. 7-10 at the Paris Theater located at Paris Las Vegas hotel. The series will return for Season 15 in 2020.
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