Lily performed the original song “Daydreams,” the meaning of which she says has evolved over the past couple of years. “I wrote it at a time in my life when things were really beautiful, and I was essentially living my daydream,” Lily told judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel, and Heidi. “I had a major label record deal, I had a publishing deal, I had butterflies I was hatching. It was magical. It was so beautiful, and I wanted other people to be able to feel that, so that’s where it originated.” But than Lily’s life was turned upside down when her mother, who has since passed, was diagnosed with cancer. “I became her fulltime caretaker,” Lily said. “I lost my record deal during that, but I think it was a blessing because it gave me some extra time to be there for her.” Lily managed to make it through her performance without crying, but such wasn’t the case for Heidi who was wiping tears from her eyes while the other judges critiqued Lily. “You have a beautiful voice,” Howie said. “I could feel the emotion. You told us a story before you sang the song about this time in your life when things were perfect, and you hatched butterflies. This moment right now, you are that butterfly on the way.” And Sofia added, “I think your mother was watching you tonight. You were feeling what you were doing, that is what was so special about your performance. I really enjoyed that song.” Then Simon told her, “There is something special about you. I’m sure that your memories came flooding back to you during that audition and you thought, ‘I’ve got to get through the song.’ I know you’ve gone through a very difficult period. I think the fact that you’ve come back after all you went through says a lot about you Lily. Good for you.” But, of course, Heidi, who had the only individual Golden Buzzer left for the season – remember last season, the judges gave out a group Golden Buzzer, was the one who counted the most when she told Lily, “I’m speechless. Sometimes you have someone on the stage, and you hear their voice…Everything about you, you just light up. I see a light around you. Immediately, I fell in love with you. For this season, season 17, I was, ‘There’s always a lot of singers on the stage, I want to give someone else a shot.’ But I can’t help it because I really, really like you, so I’m going to do this. I’m going to push the button for you.” After hitting the buzzer, Heidi joined Lily on the confetti-strewn stage and said, “You really knocked it out of the park. You’re really, really special.” Back stage, host Terry Crews caught up with Lily to see what she was thinking, and she replied, “I honestly don’t know what my mom would say. She would be so mad at me if I wasn’t pursuing what I love and ‘Daydream’ was one of her favorite songs, so I think she’d be really happy wherever she might be.” America’s Got Talent airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Next, Watch the Emotional, Heartfelt Act That Earned Terry Crews’s Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent
