South Side’s Leo choir makes ‘AGT’ finals — Vote, Chicago!

The boys of Leo High School’s choir are heading to the big stage. After a nail-biting wait, the South Side choir clinched the final spot in America’s Got Talent's finale, winning over America’s vote and earning praise from judges who have called them one of the show’s breakout acts.

“When our name got called, we were all in awe because we were really not expecting to move on,” one choir member told CBS News Chicago the morning after the announcement. Another added, “I feel alive right now.”

On Tuesday night, Sept.16, the group delivered a fiery rendition of Fall Out Boy’s “Centuries,” complete with stage effects that matched their high-energy harmonies. The performance drew raves from the judges. Simon Cowell, who had previously given the boys a rare standing ovation for their quarterfinal performance of "Believer" by Imagine Dragons, urged viewers to vote for them to advance to the finals.

“I think this act might be the act that has progressed the most, I would say,” Cowell said. “I just really, really, really, really like you.”

Fellow judge Sofia Vergara echoed the sentiment, saying, “I think you guys make being in a choir the most cool thing in the world. I mean, I forget you’re a choir.” And Mel B summed it up: “You guys literally tear at my heartstrings because I can see how much this means to you. … That was brilliant. Brilliant.”

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For the young men of Leo High School, a small, all-boys Catholic school with a storied history on Chicago’s South Side, the moment is bigger than the music. Their journey has captured the hearts of classmates, alumni, and neighbors who call the choir a “shining light” in their community. “The fact that people from my hometown look up to me is a very exciting feeling,” one member reflected.

The choir has already established a reputation in Chicago, having performed at the Democratic National Convention, Millennium Park’s Holiday Sing-Along, and various Black History Month events throughout the city. “America’s Got Talent” has given them their largest platform yet. Their invitation to audition came after scouts spotted an Instagram video of the group posted by CBS Chicago in early 2024, a small clip that set off a life-changing chain of events.

Choir director Miss LaDonna Hill, who has guided the boys through each round of the competition, praised their growth. “Seeing the guys growing through this experience has been amazing,” she said. “This is a special group of guys.”

For the students, the stakes are both personal and practical. The winner of “AGT” takes home $1 million, a sum the choir says would go directly toward paying for their college tuition. Choir member Keith “Kash” Smith admitted before the semifinals that making it to the finale would “mean the world” to them. “We got so many people in Chicago, all over America voting for us, cheering for us, we just want to make everybody proud,” Smith said.

Final performances will air at 7 p.m. CT Tuesday, Sept. 23, with the winner announced the following night on NBC. The boys aren’t giving away their finale plans just yet, but they promise one thing: “the biggest performance that you would ever see on live TV.”