Sofía Vergara hits the Golden Buzzer in the first season 19 live

Season 19 live shows of America has talent have officially begun — and Sofía Vergara is kicking them off with a bang!

During the August 13 episode of the hit NBC series, Sofía helped an act make history on the show when she launched the Golden Buzzer live show for the first time.

Hakuna Matata Acrobatics were the lucky contestants to win the special honor after their impressive act, which saw the group perform a series of acrobatic tricks – all carefully balanced on each other’s bodies and running platforms.

“That was perfection!” Sofia, 52, declared after pressing her Golden Buzzer. “Everything, everything!”

Before the emotional moment, the Tanzanian group talked about how the competition would not only change their lives, but also the lives of their families. They also touched on their intense rehearsal process and how they experience “a lot of falls” before perfecting their routine.

They then took to the stage, performing a thrilling act that had everyone on the edge of their seats.

When they finished, Simon Cowell stood up with two thumbs in the air, calling them “one of the most difficult and dangerous acts I’ve seen live”.

“Looks like you’ve arrived,” he declared. “I have so much respect for all of you for what you’ve done… I have a feeling it’s going to be a great, great night for you all.”

Howie Mandel agreed, noting that “I don’t think people realize how amazing it is…you went above and beyond!”

Heidi Klum also added that the group “had my attention from beginning to end.”

“Defying death, what you do. Besides what you do, you do it on roller-boards, you’re incredible!” she added.

Finally, Sofía spoke and enjoyed the group’s talent. She echoed her fellow judges, telling Hakuna Matata Acrobatics “you guys deserve to be here”.

“You don’t need help from anybody,” she said before pushing her Live Show Golden Buzzer – the first of the series.

The group was delighted and expressed their gratitude for the opportunity as they hugged and cheered with the crowd.

Hakuna Matata Acrobatics now go straight to the finals, where they will compete against 9 other acts, including the other three Live Show Golden Buzzers, when they will be announced later in the quarter-finals.

It was announced on August 6 that AGT change the format of the live show by introducing the first Live Show Golden Buzzer.

In a series first, all four judges will have the opportunity to send acts directly to the finals with a Live Show beep during four weeks of quarterfinals.

Following the conclusion of the quarter-finals, 12 acts will advance to the semi-finals, where they will compete for the top six spots based on viewer votes. These six bands will then join the four Live Show Golden Buzzers for the two-night finale, which starts on Tuesday 17th September and ends on Tuesday 24th September.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to keep up with everything PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

America has talent airs Tuesdays at 8pm ET on NBC.