The Judges’ Callback round officially began on the Aug. 4 episode of America’s Got Talent, giving Simon Cowell and Mel B. one final chance to decide which acts deserve a place in the Live Shows.

After the audition rounds, 10 Golden Buzzers and 18 judges’ picks had already secured their spots, leaving only 16 openings. With 23 acts returning for the Callbacks, seven contestants will ultimately be eliminated before the Quarterfinals.

To help make the difficult decisions, Mel B. invited fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton, while Simon Cowell brought in Normani and hit songwriter Poo Bear as guest advisors.

Mel B.’s group opened with comedian Lachlan Patterson, who performed at a local pub instead of Mel’s house so he could feed off a live audience. Although he admitted afterward that some jokes didn’t land the way he hoped, he remained optimistic despite questioning his performance.

Butter & Grit followed with a heartfelt original song about their friendship. Emma Bunton became emotional during the performance and praised how the duo blended their very different voices together.

Magician Joel M. then delivered one of the night’s biggest surprises. After asking Mel to collect personal items from around her home the day before, he successfully incorporated them into an elaborate illusion that ended with Emma Bunton’s missing ring appearing inside a walnut hidden within an egg that had been placed inside a lemon. The reveal left both women stunned.

Madelyn and Malachi returned with their own version of “Shut Up and Dance.” Although Mel had encouraged them to prepare backup songs, they stuck with their original choice. She later complimented Madelyn’s Dolly Parton-style vocals but wished that country influence had been showcased even more.

Mentalist duo James and Marina raised the bar again by correctly identifying personal belongings Mel had gathered from her home. They later amazed both Mel and Bunton by successfully guiding Bunton to identify a random AGT crew member from a Polaroid photo, despite never having met him before.

The final performer in Mel’s group was young singer Bety, whose bilingual performance of “Impossible” impressed both Mel and Bunton with its emotion and maturity.

Simon Cowell makes some tough calls

Simon Cowell’s callback round began with viral dancer Sando, who expanded his routine by adding dancers and drones after Cowell encouraged him to think bigger than his audition.

Singer Travis Garland followed with Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain.” While Simon, Normani, and Poo Bear praised his vocal ability, they agreed the performance still needed more emotional connection.

Teen duo Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm faced one of the night’s toughest moments. Their first attempt at Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” failed to impress, prompting Cowell to stop the performance midway and ask them to start over using more of the stage. The second attempt was dramatically stronger, earning praise from all three judges.

Dance crew Elektrodads embraced their identity as fathers by performing with baby dolls strapped to their chests. Cowell called the routine clever and entertaining, though the competition proved fierce.

Comedian Akira once again delivered his signature unconventional act, leaving Normani laughing throughout the performance. Cowell praised his originality and said the show was honored to have him back.

Singer Elsie closed Simon’s group with Ed Sheeran’s “Make It Rain.” Cowell admitted her audition had felt too polished, but said this performance finally delivered the emotional connection he had been waiting to see.

Who advanced and who went home?

Mel B. selected James and Marina, Bety, and Butter & Grit to move on to the Live Shows.

Simon Cowell advanced Travis Garland, Sando, Akira, Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm, and Elsie, saying he believed America would connect with the young singing duo despite their lack of experience.

Meanwhile, Mel eliminated Madelyn and Malachi, Joel M., and Lachlan Patterson, encouraging each of them to continue developing before returning in the future.

Cowell’s only elimination was Elektrodads. Although he praised their creativity, he encouraged the group to spend another year improving before making another run at the competition.

Next week’s episode will feature Howie Mandel’s six callback acts and Sofía Vergara’s five returning contestants battling for the remaining eight Live Show spots, meaning three more acts will see their AGT journeys come to an end.