SerpApi.Org
The Auditions may be done, but the Judging is far from over. Before the Live Shows begin and America gets to vote for their favorite Acts, Judges Mel B, Sofía Vergara, Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel still have one super-important round of cuts to make among the Acts of Season 21 of America's Got Talent, and this year, they're doing things a little differently with the Judges Callbacks, kicking off on August 4.
If you're new to the show, the way it works is that during the initial Audition process, Acts who make it in front of the Judges can either get a "No" vote, sending them straight home, a Golden Buzzer sending them straight to the Live Shows, or a "Yes" vote, meaning they are still in the competition.
There are 44 slots in the Live Shows, including 10 Golden Buzzers that earned an automatic spot, leaving 34 open places to be filled by Acts who got "Yes" votes from the Judges. And there are far, far more than 34 Acts that meet that criteria.
WATCH: This Omaha Teacher's Impressions of The Rock & Mark Wahlberg Are So Uncanny
When is the Judges Callbacks round?
During the most recent seasons, the decision of who makes it to the Live Shows happens off-camera, but this year, the Judges are taking viewers behind-the-scenes of their deliberations and introducing a twist. Upon reconsideration, some of the Acts obviously deserve a spot in the Live Shows, and some are easy to let go of, but for those few Acts that they still can't decide on, the Judges will host a special Judges' Callback round that will begin airing Tuesday, August 4 at 8 p.m. ET.
The Judges will bring the performers to their own homes to show their talents, yet again, in order to secure a place in the Live Shows. In a teaser for the episodes, we did get a glimpse of Acts including the Elektro Dads, Vahtang, Butter & Grit, and Olivia Befus.
Why Simon Cowell called the Judges' Callbacks episode "surreal"
"So, one of the producers said, 'What if each Judge took a number of contestants who they like, but would like to see a second time?' And I thought, 'Actually that's a really, really good idea. So I held my hand up first and I said, 'I'd like to see those contestants. I'd like to get to know them better,'" Cowell told NBC Insider about the new interim round of the competition. "I really learnt a lot from spending time with them. I spent one day with all of them just talking and getting to know them, a lot about them. And then the following day they all performed in my garden."
"It was really helpful actually, and I think for those contestants, for the audience at home, you're gonna see a side of them you never would have seen before," he added. "I spent about 30-40 minutes with each person, really got to know them, and they told me a lot about themselves and why they came on the show and why they wanted to do this and what they wanted to do with their lives and their careers and it was really, really fascinating. Loved getting to know them."
RELATED: WATCH: Veronika Goroshkova's Terrifying Act Gets Sofía Vergara's Last Golden Buzzer
The best part? The Acts are literally performing in the Judges' homes.
"You'll see the difference of how we all are with the contestants," said Cowell, teasing, "seeing [one] particular Act in my garden was one of the most surreal moments, I think, of my career. You'll see what I mean when you watch the episode."
