This BHAM Choir Almost Went All the Way on America’s Got Talent!
We’ve loved watching the Birmingham Youth & Young Adult Fellowship Choir on their “America’s Got Talent” journey. Hear from some of its members about the experience, and see some of their performances for yourself! Image: Facebook / Birmingham Youth & Young Adult Fellowship Choir
It has been impossible to miss the wave of excitement surrounding the Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir’s inspiring run on America’s Got Talent. With every performance, the group filled the stage with soaring voices, radiant passion, and a joy so contagious it lit up television screens across the country. In doing so, the choir not only showcased their incredible talent but also carried the very best of Birmingham onto the national stage.
What makes their journey even more remarkable is how it began. The Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir wasn’t born from dreams of television appearances or national acclaim. Instead, it started in 2015 as the vision of three incoming first-year college students who simply wanted to give back. They organized a back-to-school benefit concert and, in the process, collected more than 200 school supply bags for local students.
The event struck a chord — literally and figuratively — and the choir became a community favorite overnight.
From there, momentum only grew. What began as a grassroots effort has since blossomed into a nonprofit organization dedicated to a clear mission: to “provide a creative space for youth and young adults to develop and share their musical talents through proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Today, the choir is both a musical powerhouse and a testament to what passion, faith, and community spirit can accomplish when brought together in harmony.
It feels providential that the talented young choir earned a spot on the 20th season of America’s Got Talent as the choir celebrated its 10th anniversary. The group made the trip to Los Angeles back in March for their audition, and their compilation of “Joyful, Joyful” clearly resonated with Judge Simon Cowell.
He awarded the choir with the coveted golden buzzer, sending them straight to the competition. As he congratulated the group, the often-reserved Simon said, “This is just the beginning. You’re big. Now, it’s going to get bigger. … Thank you. That was one of my favorite, ever.”
The choir advanced all the way to the semifinals, inspiring the Magic City and beyond with soul-stirring performances along the way. While they didn’t make it to the finals, the choir returned to Birmingham having accomplished what they set out to do.
“Our America’s Got Talent journey was both incredible and educational—not just for me as the director, but for every choir member. Our young people were given an opportunity they may never have experienced otherwise, and the outpouring of support from our city, our state, and even around the world has touched us deeply,” says choir director Ahkeem Lee. “That encouragement has truly inspired us to keep striving toward even greater heights.”
“What it means for us to be on this stage is, when you put faith, determination, and sacrifice together with a bunch of young people, anything is possible,” Founder and Choir Director Ahkeem R. Lee said on the show. In a social media post, Mayor Randall Woodfin applauded the choir, saying, “Thank you for carrying our city’s light onto the national stage. Birmingham is proud to call you our own.”
Reflecting on the journey, Ahkeem celebrated the choir’s achievements in a social media post. “Ten years ago, when I first started the Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir, I never could have imagined we would one day have the opportunity to appear on America’s Got Talent,” he wrote.
“To the City of Birmingham and the State of Alabama, thank you for showering us with true hometown love. We could not have done this without you. Please don’t take pity on us — we know God’s will was accomplished. The Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir is still moving forward, and new music is on the way!”
Follow the choir’s Instagram for news on upcoming events.
Congratulations to the Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir. We can’t wait to see what you do next!
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Katie Leigh Matthews
A Birmingham native, Katie is a lifelong waterfall chaser and is passionate about the outdoors. She also loves connecting with remarkable women in the Birmingham community and bringing their stories to life. Katie has been writing professionally for over six years; you can find more of her work at Moms.com and Islands.com.