Simon Cowell did not wait until the end of James & Marina’s first live America’s Got Talent performance to make his opinion clear.
The mentalist duo took the stage during the Aug. 18 opening round of the Season 21 live quarterfinals, where 11 acts competed for a chance to move forward. Midway through their routine, Cowell hit his red X while Marina was still working through a drawing-based mind-reading sequence.
The criticism continued after the act ended. Howie Mandel revealed that he had also considered buzzing James & Marina, while Cowell acknowledged that their finale was strong but told them, “You lost me,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
Mel B saw the performance very differently. After becoming part of the duo’s final prediction, she pushed back against Cowell and declared the act “incredible.”
Cowell Hit His X Before the Trick Was Finished
James & Marina built their quarterfinal routine around translating thoughts into drawings. During one sequence, an audience member thought of a beloved childhood pet while Marina attempted to reproduce the animal on a hidden canvas. Before she completed the reveal, Cowell pressed his buzzer.
Marina continued despite the red X and then asked the audience member for the dog’s name. When the canvas was revealed, the name had already been written beneath her drawing.
Mandel later disclosed that he had been considering using his own buzzer during the routine and had quietly asked Cowell whether he should do it. Cowell initially discouraged him, only to change his own mind as the performance continued.
Cowell explained afterward that he felt the presentation had failed to hold his attention during a live show, even though he thought the ending worked. The full routine is available on the official America’s Got Talent YouTube channel.
Mel B Told Simon His Opinion Did Not Speak for the Room
The duo selected an audience member and asked her to name her favorite judge. She chose Mel B, and James & Marina then produced a completed portrait involving the judge and the participant.
One detail particularly impressed Mel B. The drawing reflected the hairstyle she was wearing that night, which she said she had decided on only about half an hour earlier.
When Cowell continued criticizing the presentation, Mel B fired back. “Nobody’s really bothered about what you say anyway, Simon,” she told him before praising the duo’s work.
He complimented the mentalism itself but felt the routine took too long to reach its payoff. Sofía Vergara remained intrigued by how James & Marina accomplished their effects but said she preferred their earlier appearance and thought the live routine moved too slowly.
James & Marina Needed a Callback to Reach the Live Shows
James & Marina had already faced an additional hurdle before reaching Tuesday’s quarterfinal. Their audition earned enough support to continue in the competition, but they were among the acts the judges wanted to see one more time before deciding the Season 21 live-show lineup.
The new Judges’ Callbacks round divided uncertain acts among individual judges. James & Marina performed for Mel B, with her fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton joining her for the callback.
Mel B ultimately selected James & Marina as one of the acts advancing from her callback group. NBC confirmed their advancement alongside singers Béty and Butter & Grit. That gave the duo a place among the season’s Top 44 and set up their first performance under live-show conditions.
One Magic Act Already Skipped Straight to the Finals
Howie Mandel held the Live Golden Buzzer for the first quarterfinal and used it on Hundred Fingers, sending the magic group directly to the Season 21 Finals without requiring them to survive the public vote or Semifinals.
That was another milestone for Hundred Fingers, which had already received a Golden Buzzer during the audition stage. For the remaining acts, the route is different. Three performers from the Aug. 18 quarterfinal will advance through America’s vote to the Semifinals.
Voting closed Wednesday morning, and the results are scheduled to be announced during the Aug. 19 live results show at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.