He Took Leave From the Army to Audition. He Said It Was Scarier Than Jumping From 18,000 Feet, Then He Sang “Beggin’”

When Isaac Atkins walked onto the America’s Got Talent stage in 2026, Mel B was impressed before he sang a single note.

“That voice!” she said, just from hearing him talk.

Isaac is 23 years old and comes from Lewiston, Maine. He is a sergeant in the U.S. Army and has served for six years. He told the judges he was not out of the Army. He had taken a few days of leave to come to the audition.

His story started in the car. Isaac likes to sing while he drives, and about a year and a half earlier, he began posting videos of himself singing online. His soldiers found them. “Oh, sergeant, I saw your TikTok,” they would tell him. They were the ones who encouraged him to try out.

He grew up singing oldies with his dad, he said. Motown. Sam Cooke. “All the greats.”

Even a soldier gets stage fright. “I jumped out of a plane at 18,000 feet,” he admitted, “and this is scarier than that.”

Then he sang “Beggin’,” the song made famous by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. He started high and kept climbing, and the crowd was soon on its feet.

When he finished, Mel B told him, “Isaac, let me tell ya, you can sing.” Sofía Vergara added, “What a voice you have.”

Then Mel said, “Hold on a minute. Before anybody else does this, I’m gonna do it,” and she hit the Golden Buzzer.

Isaac tried hard to fight back the tears. He didn’t win that battle, and nobody minded one bit.

Do you love a soldier who can sing? Share this to say thank you to everyone who serves.