Solange Kardinaly, a quick‑change magician from Portugal, left the judges and audience absolutely flabbergasted during her audition on America’s Got Talent in 2024.

Opening her act to Madonna’s “Material Girl,” she began modestly in a blue dress and matching baseball cap, a simple ensemble that quickly became the starting point for a dazzling cascade of transformations.

From that unassuming blue look, she flicked a red scarf toward a purse on stage, and instantly the purse changed color. Before the audience could fully react, she’d nodded or moved, and her dress and hat turned red. Then she waved shimmering gold fabric, and in a blink they replaced her outfit—and hat—with gold.

A surprise came when she picked up a dress wrapped in plastic with a “for sale” sign. With one wrist’s flick, the dress was on her, and the sign changed to “sold out”—another clever, playful touch that added theatricality beyond mere costume swaps.

She continued pushing the boundaries: three rectangles of hot‑pink fabric were together turned into a full outfit in an instant. For her finale, she pointed toward a white dress in a gold frame hung above the stage.

Feathers exploded, floating all around her, and as they drifted away, they revealed a lacey white gown worn by Solange. The transformation was dramatic and beautifully staged.

Even before the audition, magic was in Solange’s blood. She is a third‑generation magician, raised to perform—learning many tricks young, including on Portuguese TV, and mastering illusion and quick‑change techniques.

Her husband, known professionally simply as Arkadio, is also an illusionist, and together they’ve developed their acts carefully. In fact, Solange and Arkadio hold a Guinness World Record (as of 2023) for the most costume‑change illusions in one minute—25 in total, done on an Italian show.

The judges’ reactions were immediate and overwhelmingly positive. Simon Cowell declared, “That was magic.” Howie Mandel said she was “the best quick‑change artist we’ve seen.” Heidi Klum called her quick change “beautiful.” Sofia Vergara complimented her professionalism, beauty, and said she wanted to see more.

As the competition progressed, she continued to impress. In the semifinals, her performance set to “Murder On The Dancefloor” brought even more spectacle. She used stage smoke, confetti, flowers, and more costume changes—alongside occasional close‑up magic.

Judges commented that she seemed more confident each time, and that what she was doing under tight time constraints was extraordinary.

By that point, audience support was strong, and the judges seemed convinced she deserved a place in the finals. They praised not only the quick changes themselves but the pace, design, theatrical components, and how creative her acts were, even when repetition might have been the easy route.

Some viewers on social media expressed amazement, asking how she pulled off each change so smoothly, sometimes in what feels like mere instants.

Many called her an innovator in the quick‑change genre, noting that while there have been many quick‑change acts over the years, Solange brings showmanship, surprise, elegance, and consistency.

One of the reasons her act stands out is how she integrates her costume changes into a whole performance moment—music, props, movement, even magic outside just changing clothes.

This avoids the pitfall some quick‑change acts face, where the change is the only spectacle. With Solange, each transformation serves both visual spectacle and emotional or aesthetic buildup.

By the time she reached the final rounds, her performances had become more elaborate, but still tightly executed. The judges repeatedly noted she keeps raising the bar. Whether it’s through a more complex costume, a surprising prop, or a grander visual effect, she manages to keep the audience and judges on their toes.

In sum, Solange Kardinaly’s AGT 2024 journey demonstrates not just the thrill of seeing a costume change happen in a blink, but the craftsmanship behind each moment—costume design, timing, choreography, illusion, and the showmanship required to carry everything in front of millions. She didn’t just shock the judges; she made quick change feel fresh again.