The final round of auditions for the Hungarian talent show *Star Born* concluded Sunday night with judges tasked with narrowing a field of diverse performers down to just twelve finalists. The lengthy, four-hour broadcast, featured acts ranging from a 22-instrument one-man band to a daring performance that prompted a judge to leave the set according to RTL.hu.While only a select few advanced, the audition round was marked by both surprising talent and moments of frustration for those hoping to continue in the competition.
The judges of Star Born – Babett Köllő, Péter Geszti, ByeAlex, and Áron Molnár – faced a tough challenge Sunday night, tasked with selecting just twelve standout performers from dozens of hopefuls who took the stage at the RTL studio. The final round of auditions kicked off with a truly unique act: 38-year-old American Danny Bain, who had twenty-two instruments attached to his body. The one-man band, singing with a strong American accent, immediately captivated the judges. ByeAlex even joked that he could have continued the song if Bain had been able to name more towns, but the enthusiastic applause signaled that even a little can be enough on Star Born. The country singer, who listed cities in his song, received four “yes” votes from the panel.
However, the other contestants weren’t as fortunate. Singers, comedians, ventriloquists, extreme sports enthusiasts, and dancers all tried their luck, but none were advanced by the discerning judges. An extreme sports competitor did receive offers from Babett Köllő and Péter Geszti to purchase a new bicycle for him. The Super Led Show duo also failed to move forward, despite a promising performance featuring an artist adorned with LED lights. Köllő Babett wasn’t convinced, quickly concluding with ByeAlex that it was a true distraction. Péter Geszti was the only judge who saw a “wow moment,” but none felt it warranted advancement. The contestants, while smiling, reportedly expressed their frustration with strong language backstage.
The show barely had time to begin before a stream of entertaining acts took the stage, including dancers, cyclists, a woman offering wine, and a charming seven-year-old puppet show performer – all of whom advanced to the next stage, where they’ll compete for a spot in the live shows. Joining them was Réka Lantos, an aerialist who held herself aloft using only her teeth during her performance. The judges were stunned, with Molnár Áron barely blinking and Istenes Bence and Puskás-Dallos Peti watching in amazement. While ByeAlex admitted he felt something was missing, he ultimately sent the young woman through.
The Performance That Made ByeAlex Leave the Studio
The second half of the show brought more surprises. A caricaturist received a portrait and a song from Péter Geszti, but unfortunately, didn’t advance. A plasterboard installer, however, had the judges in stitches attempting to run through a cardboard wall. He failed the first two times, managing only to get his head through, but finally demonstrated his talent on the third try.
The performance by Spanish contestant Nymeria and her husband, Deibit, was particularly surprising. The sight of a lone bathtub on stage led the judges to believe the act was doomed. The couple, also performing as artists, delivered a comedic and amusing show that earned them an automatic pass. As the first part of the auditions neared its end, the unusual contestants kept coming, including a Viking-costumed pole dancer, a singer wearing headphones, dancing nurses, and a sibling rivalry act. The stakes for the latter were a bicycle, but Geszti Péter offered the BMX bike to the losing brother, which the extreme sports competitor had initially declined.
However, the performance by 61-year-old fakir Joe Master was so shocking that even the judges were taken aback. Joe Master broke a tile and blew fire at the beginning of his act, but attempted something even more daring at the end – prompting ByeAlex to walk off set. At one point, he pierced his skin with large needles, initially unnoticed by the judges due to the distance, but when he began to aim for his throat, ByeAlex stood up and left the studio. A video of the self-piercing performance is available here for those who are curious.
The next moment saw the judges standing and applauding 18-year-old Dörnyei Hanga, who introduced herself as a Hungarian and world champion while performing a captivating choreography.
Every moment was perfect!
remarked Köllő Babett after the aerialist executed a series of breathtaking moves that left everyone speechless.
As the four-hour show neared its conclusion, any performer not in a leotard was a welcome sight. However, talent or being attention-grabbing didn’t guarantee advancement to the live shows. Taiwanese contestant Papi worked hard for the “yes” votes, delivering a concert using rubber chickens that had Molnár Áron bursting into laughter.
I’d love to hear my songs in this version,
said ByeAlex while applauding the contestant clutching the plastic wings. As the show drew to a close, it was time for the judges to debate and decide on the best twelve contestants who would compete for the grand prize. After a two-hour discussion, the following contestants were revealed as the finalists:
- Daniele and Naimana,
- Duo Pannora,
- Dedszi,
- Gabriel Hernandez,
- Kristóf Rebeka and Kristóf Béla,
- Ott-Balogh Kata and Ott Tétisz,
- Papi Bucket,
- Párkányi Kolos,
- PSZD,
- Szabó Gergely,
- Tóth Csenge Luca,
- and Varga Máté.
