NBC's reality talent show America's Got Talent has become the platform for making dreams come true–especially for 12-year-old aspiring Broadway singer, Luke Islam.
Traveling from Garden City, New York, Luke's parents explain how their son has been singing since the moment he figured out how. Since learning how to sing and dance, it was when his mother took him to his first Broadway show at the age of six that there was a "spark."
"I love the audience, I love the crowd. I love the stage, the props, the costumes–I would want to be up there," Luke said to the camera. "I want to do what they do."
"Broadway is just so good," the 12-year-old excitedly added.
Walking on stage with bright eyes and a hopeful smile, nobody knew quite yet what the young performer had in store.
"Tell us your dream," judge Gabrielle Union asked.
"My dream is to become a star and make it to Broadway," Luke said. "All my life, I have been thinking of being on Broadway, and I love it so much, and I think America's Got Talent is the next way to achieve that goal."
The New York-native then revealed his favorite judge was Julianne Hough, due to following her and her brother, Derek Hough's dancing career for a "very long time."
"Aww, that's amazing," Hough said.
It looked like the 12-year-old already won the judges over with his big dreams and sweet personality; however, it was when he sang his rendition of "She Used To Be Mine" from the musical Waitress that the judges were truly floored.
Showing off his star potential, Luke brought a smile to the faces of everyone watching. As the crowd roared with applause, the young performer's eyes began to water as he covered his mouth in disbelief.
"Luke, you should be incredibly proud of yourself because you killed it," Union exclaimed. "You killed it!"
"You have so much poise," judge Howie Mandel said. "You talk about a journey–you know, people come on here and, hopefully, dreams come true."
"I think we are watching the beginning of your dreams coming true," Mandel added.
"What's so important, if you move forward, is don't put yourself in the generic music pool," judge Simon Cowell said. "You gotta sing songs like every one of your performances is an audition for the best producers on Broadway."
"Wow, I just have to say that I'm extremely flattered that you would even look up to my brother and I with a voice like that, with an energy like that–" Hough began as Luke became overwhelmed by tears.
"Honey, you have such talent and grace," she added, tears of her own welling up in her eyes. "You have something so special. You have an essence inside of you that has given you a gift."
She continued: "I believe that you are going to become a star and have your dream come true, and I don't think you'll have to wait much longer–"
At that moment, Hough quickly rose out of her seat and slammed the Golden Buzzer. As golden confetti rained down on the Broadway-hopeful, tears running down his face, Luke collapsed on the stage in excitement. Quickly rising to his feet, his parents met him in an embrace.
"I can't believe it, I'm in shock," Luke told host Terry Crews. "I never expected something like this to happen in my whole life. I'm so grateful, thank you so much."
"Much deserved, much deserved," Crews added.
Find out what's next for Luke when America's Got Talent airs Tuesday nights on NBC at 8 p.m. ET.
