Jake’s Take’s Top 20 Reality TV Performances of 2020

Magic was made when The Snow Owls (Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black) became the first duo to participate on The Masked Singer. (Video property of FOX Alternative Entertainment & Endemol Shine North America)

#10-The Snow Owls (Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black): “Say Something” (The Masked Singer USA: Season Four) 

The Masked Singer USA’s first game-changing duo kick off the homestretch of the countdown. I got chills when the Snow Owls (country music power couple Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black) covered A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera’s “Say Something.” Whoever decides to perform as a pair on the Masked Singer’s future seasons has high expectations because the Blacks set the standard!

Night Angel (Kandi Burruss) delivered a beautiful cover of Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons” that won her the competition. (Video property of FOX Alternative Entertainment & Endemol Shine North America)

#9-Night Angel (Kandi Burruss): “Million Reasons” (The Masked Singer USA: Season Three) 

The Night Angel cemented her place as the Season Three frontrunner when she covered Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons.” The one-time Celebrity Big Brother houseguest and Real Housewives of Atlanta staple moved both the panel and audience with a hauntingly honest vocal performance. At the end of the season, Kandi Burruss became the first woman to win the USA’s Golden Mask.

Angelina Jordan’s beautiful interpretation of Sir Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” showcased a whole lot of promise. (Video property of Fremantle USA & NBC)

#8-Angelina Jordan: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (America’s Got Talent: The Champions-Season Two; Heidi Klum’s Golden Buzzer) 

Norway’s Got Talent winner Angelina Jordan was one of America’s Got Talent: The Champions’ breakout stars in its sophomore season. When she covered Sir Elton John’s timeless classic “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” I thought I was watching a star being born.

Resound’s “Fall on Me” was one of the best performances from a vocal group on any Got Talent this year. (Video property of Fremantle USA & NBC)

#7-Resound: “Fall on Me” (America’s Got Talent: Season 15) 

Resound was one of the best music acts to appear on AGT’s milestone anniversary season. Jessica, Joseph, and Mariah’s outstanding harmonies blew me away both times they performed on the show. When they covered A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera’s “Fall on Me” during the Universal Studios Hollywood live shows, the trio sent me to heaven. If AGT Champions ever has a third season, Resound needs to make an appearance because we were robbed of seeing them in the Season 15 finals.

Voices of Service’s “Brother” was one of the highlights of America’s Got Talent: The Champions’ sophomore season. (Video property of Fremantle USA & NBC)

#6-Voices of Service: “Brother” (America’s Got Talent: The Champions-Season Two) 

Jake’s Take friends Voices of Service returned to America’s Got Talent: The Champions with a robust cover of Kodaline’s “Brother.” Once again, the quartet (retired Master Sgt. Caleb Green, retired Staff Sgt. Ron Henry, Sgt. Maj. Christal Rheams, and Sgt. 1st Class Jason Hanna) delivered a flawless vocal performance that displayed their impeccable harmonies.

Popcorn (Taylor Dayne) delivered a knockout cover of Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me” during The Masked Singer: Season Four’s Super Six. (Video property of FOX Alternative Entertainment & Endemol Shine North America)

#5-Popcorn (Taylor Dayne): “Better Be Good to Me” (The Masked Singer USA: Season Four)

For her final performance on The Masked Singer’s fourth season, Popcorn (Taylor Dayne) brought the house down. Her fiery cover of Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me” was an epic performance from start to finish. Thank you for participating on Masked Singer, Taylor Dayne! You were one of the true highlights of the fourth season. 

Music legend Dionne Warwick stole The Masked Singer: Season Four when she sang “Get Here” as The Mouse. (Video property of FOX Alternative Entertainment & Endemol Shine North America)

#4-The Mouse (Dionne Warwick): “Get Here” (The Masked Singer USA: Season Three) 

While she was not in the Season Three competition long, Dionne Warwick, the new Queen of Twitter, delivered moving performances every time she hit the stage as The Mouse. Her first performance, a haunting cover of Oleta Adams’ “Get Here,” nearly moved me to tears and showcased why she has impacted the music world.

Johnny Manuel became a darling in Australia after tackling Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on The Voice Australia. (Video property of iTV Studios Australia & Talpa Media Group)

#3-Johnny Manuel: “My Heart Will Go On” (The Voice Australia: Season Nine) 

We are heading back down under for one final time this countdown. Former AGT darling Johnny Manuel blew away Australia with his impeccable vocals. Under his coach, Guy Sebastian (Kelly Clarkson’s male Australian counterpart), Johnny soared throughout the competition. His standout moment happened on the Season Nine finale when he brilliantly tackled Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” I still get chills from watching this performance! 

Marcelito Pomoy’s “Time to Say Goodbye” was pure magic! (Video property of Fremantle & NBC)

#2-Marcelto Pomoy: “Con Te Partiro” (America’s Got Talent: The Champions-Season Two) 

Nearly a decade after winning Pilipinas Got Talent, opera singer Marcelito Pomoy headed to America to compete on America’s Got Talent: The Champions’ sophomore season. His best performance on the talent competition spin-off was his superior cover of Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman’s legendary “Time to Say Goodbye.” 21 million YouTube views later, it is still Marcelito’s A Star is Born moment.

Cristina Rae’s outstanding vocals claimed not only third place on America’s Got Talent: Season 15, but also the top spot in our countdown. (Video property of Fremantle & NBC)

#1-Every Cristina Rae Performance (America’s Got Talent: Season 15; Heidi Klum’s Golden Buzzer

Cristina Rae’s life changed after Heidi Klum pressed the Golden Buzzer during the Season 15 Judges’ Auditions. Throughout America’s Got Talent’s fifteenth anniversary season, the Nashville-based vocalist delivered outstanding vocals that ranged from The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to Cynthia Erivo’s ‘Jump” and Imagine Dragons’ “Demons.” I hope that Cristina has the chance to shine for years to come.

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Copyright 2020 Jacob Elyachar