Lewiston native and U.S. Army Sgt. Isaac Atkins earned a coveted Golden Buzzer on “America’s Got Talent” Tuesday night, advancing directly to the live shows after impressing judge Mel B with his performance.

“One of the craziest experiences, if not the craziest experience in my life. That’s something that you can’t even, you can’t prepare for if you never done something like that to that caliber before, it’s just something that you have to kind of fully charge into headfirst and just hope it goes well. And it went well,” Atkins told Maine’s Total Coverage.

Atkins, a Lewiston High School graduate who enlisted in the Maine Army National Guard in 2019 before transitioning to active duty in 2021, has built a following online as the “Singing Soldier” while serving in the Army.

Now stationed in Hawaii, Atkins said performing on one of the world’s biggest stages was a surreal experience. His appearance on the show comes after years of balancing military service with his passion for music.

Born and raised in Lewiston, Atkins has credited his family and his love of classic soul and rock music for inspiring his musical journey. The Golden Buzzer sends him directly to the next phase of the competition, putting the Maine native one step closer to the show’s finals.