While the bulk of Air Force Academy cadets settle into their new semester, the school’s official all-male a cappella group is busy winning the hearts and minds of a national TV audience.
In the Stairwell, a group named for the location where it was founded in 2004, reached the semifinals of NBC’s ”America’s Got Talent” competition Wednesday night on the strength of a viewer vote. The singers donned camo the night before to belt out a cover of ”Some Nights,” the 2012 hit by Fun.
The group earned one of seven semifinal spots up for grab in Wednesday’s show. Five other acts went home, including a singing President Trump impersonator and a clown named Puddles. Two more elimination rounds are set for this month, with semifinals beginning in September and the live final Sept. 20.
“America‘s Got Talent” producers contacted the group after seeing a YouTube clip of them in concert, per an Air Force release. The singers passed an audition round and a second ”judge cuts” round to reach the quarterfinals.
The talent show is in its 12th season with NBC, with a judge roster of ”American Idol” icon Simon Cowell, comedian Howie Mandel, former Spice Girl Mel B and supermodel Heidi Klum.
Army Pfc. Paul Ieti reached the show’s semifinals in its ninth season before being eliminated.
Kevin Lilley is the features editor of Military Times.
