Last week, an artist on “America’s Got Talent” touched Simon Cowell so much, that he not only brought the judges to their feet but was awarded the golden buzzer.
Michael Ketterer, the worship pastor at Influence Church and former member of United Pursuit, performed a rendition of “To Love Somebody,” by the Bee Gees’ and completely wowed the judges.
Before performing, Ketterer told the judges and the audience a little about himself, crediting his family of seven as being his driving force.
“My family is the reason I’m here,” Ketterer told the judges before belting out his number. “One of the things that happens, especially because my children came out of foster care, when you’re surviving, you can’t dream. And that has been one of the most rewarding things — providing them with a home and a safe environment where they are free to dream.”
Ketterer and his wife are parents to six children, of which five are foster children.
“I’m here because I want to show them that if their dad can live out their dreams then nothing is impossible for them,” he added.
The worship pastor further revealed his servant’s heart when he told the judges that he works full time as a pediatric mental health nurse in Orange County, California.
After Ketterer performed his rendition of “To Love Somebody” Cowell was absolutely blown away, and if you’ve watched Cowell before you know that getting blown away isn’t something that happens frequently.
“Well, Michael, you know what, when we find singers on these shows, is it about being technical or is it about being relevant? And sometimes, for me, it’s just about being real and a surprise,” said Cowell. “I’m being honest with you because you were so nervous. I was concerned for you. But I think sometimes actions speak louder than words.”
Cowell finished his praises by slamming down on the gold buzzer, which granted Ketterer the move forward.
You will have to watch the full video to watch Ketterer’s reaction because it is priceless. As he jumped up and down, his family rushed onto the stage, the entire crew embracing one another, as Cowell joined them to congratulate.
Not only did the judges fall in love with Ketterer, but so did America, as the video of his performance hit number 5 on Youtube‘s trending videos. The video has 2 million views so far and is still climbing.
Ketterer tweeted after he won the golden buzzer: “I’m so thankful for all of the support and love that I’m receiving from my family, friends, and people that I’ve never met before! My family and I are undone and are so thankful to God for this amazing opportunity. Thank you @SimonCowell for hitting that button!”
I’m so thankful for all of the support and love that I’m receiving from my family, friends, and people that I’ve never met before! My family and I are undone and are so thankful to God for this amazing opportunity. Thank you @SimonCowell for hitting that button! ?❤️#AGT @AGT
— Michael Ketterer (@Ketterermusic) June 6, 2018
If you don’t know, the golden buzzer is a feature that each judge can push once a season. The buzzer sends contestants straight to the live shows of America’s Got Talent and is a very prestigious thing to get while on the show.
Ketterer is a worship pastor at Influence Church which is a church in Anaheim, CA with three other artists (Melody Noel, Whitney Medina, and Matt Gilman).
“It’s encouraging to have fun writing with friends and being part of something that is more then just a band. It is a family of artists and musicians dedicated to embodying the true love of the father and cultivating the Holy Spirit through worship,” he said about the worship team.
In May, the music group released their debut album, Touching Heaven.