At just 11 years old, D’Corey Johnson stepped onto the stage of America’s Got Talent Season 18 and immediately captured the audience’s attention with a voice far beyond his years.

The talented singer from Louisville, Kentucky, performed Journey’s classic “Open Arms” during his audition. His powerful and mature vocals impressed all four judges—Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara. When Simon asked him to sing part of the song without the backing track, D’Corey delivered an impressive a cappella performance that earned him four enthusiastic “yes” votes.

D’Corey had already dreamed of performing on Broadway and in movies, and his AGT appearance showed that he had the confidence and vocal ability to pursue those ambitions.