America’s Got Talent fans, the competition is entering a brand-new phase.

Season 21 has officially wrapped its auditions, and there are plenty of incredible acts vying for the $1 million prize. While a handful of performers have already secured spots in the live shows, others are still hoping to advance.

In this season, with judges Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Mel B, and Howie Mandel, AGT is introducing a new twist: the “Judges’ Callbacks.” As the show teased on Instagram, this round will air across the August 4 and August 11 episodes on NBC.

“The stakes are higher than ever,” the caption read alongside a sneak preview on July 27. “AGT | Tuesdays on NBC and streaming on Peacock.”

What are the AGT Judges’ Callbacks on America’s Got Talent?

According to a report from NBC Insider, the Judges’ Callbacks will see 23 acts vie for one last chance to make it to the live shows. As part of this round, they will be selected to work with one judge before performing for them and a celebrity guest.

Simon previously told TV Insider that the idea for the round came from questions he’d get from fans.

“One question I get asked a lot is, ‘How do you decide who makes it through to the live shows?’” he explained to the outlet in June. “We’ve been trying to be more transparent year after year, and then we said, ‘Let’s just show the audience how we get to that place.’”

Where were the AGT Judges’ Callback episodes filmed?

Deadline noted that the acts were sent to locations across the U.S. and England for the Judges’ Callbacks. As for where they went:

  • Simon brought his acts to his home in Malibu, California.
  • Sofía and her acts stayed at her home in Beverly Hills, California.
  • Mel B’s hopefuls visited her in Leeds, England, where she grew up.
  • Howie hosted his contestants at both his podcast studio and the Laugh Factory comedy club in Los Angeles, California.

Who are the celebrity judges participating in the Judges’ Callback round on AGT?

As part of the new twist, each of the AGT judges will have a celebrity guest to help them choose which acts will make it to the live shows.

  • Simon will work with pop star Normani and producer Poo Bear.
  • Sofía will be paired with singers Lele Pons and Sebastián Yatra
  • Howie will be joined by comedian Nikki Glaser
  • Mel B will have a Spice Girls reunion with Emma Bunton, which she teased in an interview with Good Housekeeping in May.

“On my home visits, I've got Emma helping me decide, and then we go into the live shows early August, which I cannot wait for,” Mel B said at the time.

We’re excited for this!