The dance group Mayyas from Lebanon has won season 17 of America's Got Talent.
The team wins the $1 million prize and the chance to be the star of a Las Vegas show.
The 11 finalists gave one final performance on the America's Got Talent stage during the dramatic two-hour finale event, which also included the announcement of the public voting results. In front of a backdrop of gold lighting, Mayyas and Sellars took the stage for a mesmerizing performance that earned judge Simon Cowell's standing ovation.
.@mayyasofficial and @kristysellars0 are an unstoppable duo. ✨ #AGT pic.twitter.com/dWBGNxvPuF
— America’s Got Talent (@AGT) September 15, 2022
Among the highlights of the two-hour evening were Cowell's roast, the Black Eyed Peas' rendition of Don't You Worry, and Terry Crews' performance with the Ukrainian LED dance group Light Balance to Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling.
In the final on Tuesday, Mayyas danced in sync while wearing white feathered dresses and shimmering light globes, earning standing ovations from the audience and judges.
After Mayyas' initial audition, Judge Sofia Vergara gave them her golden buzzer and said, "Fabulous!" "Next level."
Simon Cowell said the performance was “astonishing”.
He Continued saying “Something has happened with you where I'm beginning to feel a buzz beyond the show. This has landed. It is global. It is huge. I don't think you can top that.”
The ensemble performed a mesmerizing dance in the semi-finals earlier this month. They wore gold body suits and masks while the lead dancer wore bedlah-style clothing, consisting of a gold skirt and a green long-sleeved top.
The quartet made their America's Got Talent debut in June, and judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara were so taken with them that they awarded them a golden buzzer and a fast road to the live events.
This is not the first time the dance group has appeared on a talent show.
Nadim Cherfan, who also created the choreography for the performance, formed Mayyas in Beirut. He began dancing at the age of 14 and has since taken courses in the US, India, and the UK. Before founding Mayyas, he began teaching his own dance lessons in locations all across the Lebanese capital in 2012.
The group participated in the sixth season of Arabs Got Talent in 2019 and ultimately won the competition, taking home a new automobile and 200,000 Saudi riyals ($53,333) in cash. They took part in Britain's Got Talent: The Champions, an international offshoot of the UK TV talent competition, in the same year.
You voted, now we've crowned our #AGT Season 17 Winner! ? pic.twitter.com/m8VBXzJpZA
— America’s Got Talent (@AGT) September 15, 2022
Mayyas gave an explanation of their name during their America's Got Talent audition, claiming that it "is an Arabic phrase that denotes the proud walk of a lioness."
The group responded to Vergara's question on life in Lebanon at the moment by saying, "Lebanon is a very beautiful country, but we face a daily battle."
Written By: Lara AlNimri
