Howie Mandel scored quite the draft pick on "America's Got Talent" ("AGT") spinoff "Fantasy League" in Drake Milligan, a rising country singer-songwriter who's been praised consistently by Simon Cowell.
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On Monday night's (Nov. 8) episode, Mandel mentored Milligan to deviate from the norm, which caught the ire of Cowell.
Up to this point, Milligan had always performed songs he wrote or co-wrote for "AGT" competitions. On Monday, he chose an outside cut in "Don't Leave Me Loving You," a song penned by Music Row notables Bobby Pinson, Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis and cut by Milligan for his upcoming Jukebox Songs EP (out Feb. 16).
"I want to show that I'm not just a one-trick pony," Milligan told Mandel on the broadcast. "I believe in this song."
Mandel agreed that Milligan should mix things up and go with "Don't Leave Me Loving You."
"This is a big swing, but you can't hit a homerun without taking a big swing," Mandel told Milligan to ease his understudy's concerns.
Milligan's performance previewed a heartfelt ballad that's a departure from his usual honky-tonk throwbacks. However, Cowell wasn't impressed.
"I love Drake as an artist and also as a person... however, that wasn't my favorite song you've ever done," Cowell said.
Upon learning that the song wasn't written by Milligan, Mandel's fellow judges —Cowell, Mel B and Heidi Klum— criticized Team Howie's strategy.
"This is bad mentoring," Cowell said. "You are a great writer, and I didn't feel there was a connection with you and that song."
In the end, neither the audience nor Mandel's Golden Buzzer saved Milligan from an early-season elimination.
Milligan's future looks no less bright without a shot at winning "AGT: Fantasy League." In addition to having new music on the way, the rising country artist will join Cody Johnson a string of 10 arena tour dates.
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