Shin Lim is the winner ofAmerica’s Got Talent!
The 26-year-old self-taught magician, who was born in Canada and currently lives in Acton, Massachusetts, wowed audiences through sleight of hand magic and close-up tricks. For his final trick, Lim performed a card trick with host Tyra Banks andAmerican Ninja Warriorco-hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila.
During the competition, both judges Howie Mandel andSimon Cowellcalled Lim “the best close-up magician they have ever seen.”
“You’re the only one that makes me believe that magic is possible,”Heidi Klumsaid.
Lim becomes the second magician to winAGT. Mat Franco was the winner of the ninth season.
Trae Patton/NBC
However, he was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome at age 20 and was forced to choose between his two interests. Lim gave up his piano career, even dropping out of the School of Music at Lee University in Tennessee.
After learning most of his magic skills from watching YouTube, he appeared twice on Penn Jillette and Teller’s magic competition show,Penn & Teller: Fool Us, in 2015 and 2017. He took his talents overseas, including gigs in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan.
Lim beat out fellow top 10 finalists: singers Courtney Hadwin, Michael Ketterer, Daniel Emmet, and Glennis Grace as well as comedians Vicki Barbalok and Samuel J. Comroe, and trapeze couple Duo Transcend.
In third place was electric violinist Brian King Joseph and second place was the acrobatic dance group Zurcaroh.
Greg Gayne/NBC; Trae Patton/NBC (2)
In addition to the title of season 13 champion, Lim also takes home a $1 million and a headlining gig at the Paris Theater at Paris Las Vegas Nov. 2-4.
Lim, who is the reigning world FISM champion for close-up magic, also has plans to perform alongside The Illusionists, a group of magicians who also got their start on the reality competition.
America’s Got Talentairs Tuesdays and Wednesdays (8 p.m. ET) on NBC.
source: people.com
