Kylie Frey walked onto the America’s Got Talent stage with a rodeo background, a country voice and a song that carried a deeply personal meaning.
The Louisiana singer performed “Horses in Heaven,” an original song she wrote for her grandfather. Her performance earned a standing ovation and three yes votes from the judges, with Simon Cowell calling her “the real deal.”
Contestant Background
Kylie Frey was a 28-year-old country singer from Opelousas, Louisiana, when she auditioned for Season 18 of America’s Got Talent in 2023.
She told the judges that she came from a big rodeo family and had been a rodeo queen. She also explained that she had sung the national anthem at rodeos because she loved performing.
Her rodeo background was closely connected to her musical ambitions.
Kylie said her grandfather encouraged her to keep singing at rodeos, believing that one day those performances could help lead her to the National Finals Rodeo, or NFR. She also cited Reba McEntire as an inspiration for pursuing a career connected to country music.
Before the audition became emotional, Kylie also gave viewers a lighter moment by impersonating Simon Cowell — something she said she had done with friends while growing up watching AGT.
What Happened on Stage
For her audition, Kylie made a choice that was deeply connected to her family.
She performed her original country song “Horses in Heaven,” which she wrote about her grandfather.
Rather than choosing a familiar country hit, Kylie brought an original song that told part of her own story.
She performed with a small backing band while playing guitar, delivering the song in a country style that fit naturally with her rodeo background.
As the song progressed, the audience responded warmly.
The performance connected Kylie’s country sound with the memory of her grandfather and the dream he had encouraged her to pursue.
The audience eventually gave her a standing ovation.
And then Kylie had to hear what the judges thought.
Judges’ Reactions
Simon Cowell was clearly impressed.
After hearing Kylie perform, he told her:
“You are the real deal.”
Heidi Klum also praised Kylie, including her overall sound and the band accompanying her.
But not every judge felt the same way.
Howie Mandel voted no, explaining that although he recognized the quality of the performance, he wanted a song he had never heard before to stay in his head afterward. The audience reacted negatively to his critique, while the other three judges voted yes.
That meant Kylie received enough votes to continue.
Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara voted yes.
Howie voted no.
Kylie was moving forward.
Why Viewers Liked the Performance
One of the strongest elements of Kylie’s audition was that the story and the performance were connected.
She wasn’t simply singing a country song because it suited her voice.
She was performing an original song connected to her grandfather and to the rodeo world she had grown up around.
That gave the performance a clear identity.
There was also something distinctive about seeing a rodeo queen bring that world onto the AGT stage.
Her country vocals, guitar playing, backing band and personal songwriting all worked together to create a performance that felt different from a standard singing audition.
The emotional connection helped, too.
Kylie had explained why her grandfather mattered to her musical journey before she began singing. Once the song started, the audience could understand that the performance was not simply about earning a yes from the judges.
It was also about telling his story through her music.
That combination of country identity, original songwriting and family connection gave “Horses in Heaven” its strongest appeal.
Full-Performance Information
Performer: Kylie Frey
Age at Audition: 28
Show: America’s Got Talent
Season: Season 18
Year: 2023
Audition: Week 8 / Episode 1808
Performance: “Horses in Heaven”
Performance Type: Original country song
Result: Three yes votes; advanced to the next stage
Full Performance:
The supplied YouTube video is a 2026 upload by Golden Voices, not the original 2023 AGT upload. The description identifies the performance as Kylie’s 2023 Season 18 audition.
Kylie later advanced to the semifinals, where she performed another original song, “I Do Thing.” She did not receive enough votes to reach the finale.
Related Stories
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- Memorable Simon Cowell reactions to country singers
- Rodeo performers who brought their talents to television
- The most memorable America’s Got Talent auditions from Season 18
A Rodeo Story Turned Into a Song
Kylie Frey arrived on the AGT stage carrying several pieces of her life with her.
Her rodeo background.
Her country music ambitions.
Her love of performing.
And the memory of a grandfather who encouraged her to keep chasing her dream.
She turned those experiences into “Horses in Heaven.”
Simon Cowell heard something genuine in the performance and gave Kylie a phrase that captured the moment:
“You are the real deal.”
For Kylie, it was more than a successful audition.
It was a chance to bring her rodeo roots and her family’s story onto one of television’s biggest talent stages.
