The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus won’t be spending any money if they are named winners of this season’s competition American talent.
After the final qualifying round of Season 18 on Tuesday, Staff Sgt. Marcus Gilbert, a spokesman for the military group, explained why he and his fellow contractors would not accept the $1 million prize money if they won the competition.
“That $1 million prize will go straight to a charity of your choice American talent he wants to send it,” Gilbert told Parade. “We’re simply here to represent our country, our division and that’s it.”
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The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Choir on the results of the qualifiers for the 18th season of “America’s Got Talent”.
Trae Patton/NBC via Getty
The sergeant added that they wanted to “make sure all their fans are known” and stressed that the group was “serious” about the competition and not “just messing around”.
“We’re really trying to reach out to every person who has ever been in a military uniform. We want to make sure all of our fans are known,” he continued. “We have so much 82nd pride. We just want to make sure that everyone who let us be here knows that we’re not here just messing around. We are here, we are serious and we will compete.”
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On Tuesday’s live show, the choir performed “I Am Here” by Pink. They dedicated that rank to their entire aviation division.
Their audition earlier this season — where they performed the crowd-pleasing classic The Temptations’ hit “My Girl” — was dedicated to the memory of Spc. Elijah Crawford.
Speaking backstage with PEOPLE after Tuesday’s live performance, Gilbert said he’s on board American talent it meant “the world” to him.
“It means a lot in the world to me personally,” he said. “I’ve been a singer for a long time and it’s something my dad started with me. My dad was also a paratrooper, so tonight was a big night for me. I got to combine those two loves… it’s just a big moment.”
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Judge Terry Crews and the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Choir on “America’s Got Talent.”.
Trae Patton/NBC via Getty
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The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Choir will be one of 11 performers to move on to American talentThe two-night final begins on Tuesday, September 27.
Other competing groups include Murmuration, Ahren Belisle, Putri Ariani, Lavender Darcangelo, Ramadhani Brothers, Anna Deguzman, Chibi Unity, Adrian Stoica and Hurricane, Mzansi Youth Choir and Avantgardey.
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The two-night finale of the 18th season American talent begins Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET on NBC.
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Source: HIS Education