Pfc. Paul Ieti's performance in the first round of NBC's "America's Got Talent" earned a standing ovation and hugs from three of the show's four celebrity judges — a supermodel, a Spice Girl and Howard Stern.
But the soldier wasn't the only crowd-wowing act during the audition process. Tonight, fans of the show will find out whether Ieti will reach the live-performance portion of the program, making the final 48.
Ieti can't reveal how his second performance went, but that doesn't mean he can't promote it.
"Just a reminder. My performance on the Judgement week of AGT will be this Wednesday," Ieti posted Monday on his Facebook page. "Tune and thank you for the support. #singingsoldier #AGT#judgmentweek #turnupthetalent #roadtoradiocity #nbcagt."
The first of that hashtag list, #singingsoldier, trended nationally during the June 17 airing of his first performance, a cover of Rihanna's "Stay" — the same song that went viral on YouTube and put Ieti on the show's radar.
In a recent Defense Department news release, Ieti pledged not to let the fame go to his head.
"I'm still going to be Paul Ieti, the normal-but-hyperactive guy I've been," said the petroleum supply specialist with A Company, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade. "I know my talent is God-given, and I just want to share it with the world."
Forty-eight acts will reach the next round of the talent competition, performing live at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The two-day "Judgment Week" event began Tuesday night, with some of the acts automatically skipping past this round and into the live shows.
The celebrity panel of Stern, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Mel B. will choose the rest of the live performers tonight. The winner of the competition earns a $1 million prize, which Ieti said he'd use to buy his parents a car, buy a home in Florida, and build up his savings account.
