It’s official!!!! Sebastien De La Cruz “El Charro de Oro” and Mariachi Charros de Oro were selected as a Wild Card on America’s Got Talent. Sebastien was not voted through to the semi-final round on the July 24 show, but now he, along with 11 other acts, will return to compete  LIVE on August 21st in New York City. The 12 Wild Cards will battle it out for 4 spots to go to the semi-finals which will be announced on Wednesday, August 25. Sebastien is in New Jersey now with the group in preparation for next week’s show.

It’s been an exciting 8 months watching Sebastien on America’s Got Talent (AGT). He first received an invitation to audition for AGT in December last year after a scouter found his video on YouTube. His first audition was in Austin in January where he sang El Pastor and Granada. He got a call back for a second audition in Austin in mid-March and received a standing ovation and an overwhelming response at the Long Center after singing La Charreada. Sebastien was notified that he made it to the Las Vegas round in May where he sang Guadalajara. He made it through in Las Vegas to the top 48 and traveled to NYC where he performed Besame Mucho on July 24. It’s been a thrill every second of the way. Sebastien is representing thousands of student mariachi musicians and vocalists from throughout the world but especially in Texas where he’s gathered for the past 3 years to participate in the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza along with members of Mariachi Charros de Oro. Sebastien and Mariachi Charros de Oro have represented the entire mariachi music industry with amazing talent, social grace and personality.

And kudos to Simon Cowell and the team at AGT for being visionaries among mainstream American, English language television. It’s not the first time mariachi music has been presented in one of the top 3 TV networks, but it certainly is the first time a major English language TV network has presented mariachi music on one of the most popular TV reality shows of the summer. Simon Cowell, the creator and executive producer of AGT, is known for having an eye for talent and he’s hit it right on the nail with Sebastien who had already proven himself as the best mariachi vocalist in the U.S. among his age group during the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza. For the past 3 years, the world’s preeminent Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan had selected Sebastien as a winner in his category during the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza (host to the most competitive, largest and longest running mariachi vocal competitions in the U.S.). Now, Sebastien’s back in game with AGT and the thrill continues.

Thank you AGT, Sebastien and Mariachi Charros de Oro for showing America the best of Mariachi music in a beautiful, elegant, theatrical setting that feeds the spirit and the soul.

We’re proud of you and will be voting next week on Tuesday!