A boy from Montgomery, Alabama earned the coveted “Golden Buzzer” on Tuesday night’s airing of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and will automatically advance in the competition. Reid Wilson, 14, received the honor from judge Howie Mandel:

“I was bowled over because I was surprised,” said Howie. “I got surprised first of all because you’re a 14-year-old kid from Alabama, so I put myself in your position. You were very nervous, and you came off incredibly nervous. That was a surprise. You know what? That stage is where dreams come true. Do you believe in dreams?”

“Well, one of them is about to come true.”

Backstage after the performance Mandel, who used his second and last Golden Buzzer of the season on Wilson, continued to give him praise.

“I did it because of the sound and who you are was nothing close to anything I was expecting,” he told the young performer. “You are a big talent.”

Wilson earned a direct pass to the live shows. Reid isn’t the only aspiring singer in the family. Last year, his older brother, Ryley, made it to the live semi finals of The Voice.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten