Everyone expected a trainwreck when this nervous karaoke fan stepped on the AGT stage, until they heard that song, What happened next had the judges on their feet and the internet screaming Underrated legend!

He shuffled onto the stage in worn jeans and a wrinkled tee, clutching the mic like it might bite him. The judges exchanged uncertain glances. The audience braced for secondhand embarrassment. Even the host quietly whispered, “This might be rough.”

He introduced himself as Mark, a 29-year-old warehouse worker who loved singing karaoke at local dive bars. When Simon asked what he’d be performing, Mark cleared his throat and said, “Creep. Radiohead.”

There was a pause. A few awkward chuckles rippled through the crowd.

Simon raised an eyebrow. “That’s a… bold choice.”

The music started. The first notes were soft, almost shaky. But then Mark’s voice broke through—raw, aching, haunting. It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t perfect. But it was real.

By the time he hit the chorus, the theater was silent. He didn’t just sing the words—he bled them. Like every line was carved out of something deep and dark he’d carried for years.

The judges leaned forward. Howie looked stunned. Heidi clutched her chest. Sofia blinked fast, trying to keep tears in check. Even Simon—stone-faced, arms crossed—slowly uncrossed his arms.

When the final note faded, the silence held for a beat.

Then came the standing ovation.

Mark blinked in disbelief, mouth trembling. The same crowd that had smirked when he named his song choice was now on its feet, roaring his name.

Simon leaned into his mic, voice unusually gentle. “That… was unexpected. And honestly? One of the most moving auditions I’ve seen in years.”

Song choice, it turns out, does matter. But heart? Heart wins every time.