'America's Got Talent' Kicks Off With an Emotional Golden Buzzer That Brings Simon Cowell to Tears -- Watch!

etonline.com:

kicked off its 18th season on Tuesday and proved that even after all the thousands of auditions seen over the years there are still a lot of amazing acts out there looking for recognition.The show's stalwart stars — including judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum, as well as host Terry Crews — returned to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium as a whole new slew of hopefuls hit the stage to show off their skills.However, there were a few that clearly stood out — and one that inspired the judges to hand out the first of the season's coveted Golden Buzzers.The Mzansi Youth Choir, a collection of amazing singers from South Africa, came out with an amazing cover of a song called «It's OK,» written by former contestant Nightbirde, who died shortly after having to drop out of the season following a battle with cancer.The performance was breathtaking and uplifting and hit very close to home for the judges — all of whom had formed a connection to Nightbirde before her tragic passing.Simon was brought to tears and had a hard time getting out his words before showering the choir with love and praise.«I know how much this would have meant to her.

Right until the end, she was so passionate about sharing her music,» a tearful Simon shared. «And this has gone all over the world.

And you've come back here with the most amazing tribute. It was just breathtaking, honestly.»Backed by chants from the audience of «Golden Buzzer» the judges came together to award the choir the coveted honor — moving them on to the live shows automatically.And once again, Season 18 of reminded everyone exactly why this show has been on for as long as it has!Here's a look at a few of the night's other epic performances:This talented, modern.