Credit: Netflix

TJ Salta is your new Star Search champion, and his win has made a big noise. The Las Vegas magician took home the $500,000 freaking grand prize during the live Netflix finale. Oh, and before we forget it, viewers decided the winner in real time, so this guy won fair and square.

That’s right! This season of Star Search made a big change to the format by letting the fans vote live from home instead of the judges picking the champion. That meant every performance truly counted, and when the final result was announced, it felt truly earned.

The night started with eight returning champions facing off in head-to-head rounds. Viewers rated each act using a five-star scale, one vote per performer. From there, the four highest-scoring acts moved on to the final vote. That last round came down to TJ Salta, Harry Merlin Piper, Duo Vespertilio, and Spud Howard. In the end, Salta pulled ahead.

If you have been watching all season, his win makes sense. From the beginning, Salta mixed close-up magic with a strong stage presence. He never looked rattled or overdid it. He kept things smooth, which is not easy in a live competition where timing can make or break a performance.

For his final act, he borrowed Judge Sarah Michelle Gellar’s ring and made it vanish in front of everyone. Then the ring was returned by his hawk, Messiah, during a live reveal that had the crowd reacting instantly. It was so smooth and bold. In a finale built on big moments, that one sealed it.

After winning, Salta said he was shocked and grateful and talked about how intense it was to perform five live rounds with very little downtime between them. Totally understandable! He also made it clear that he sees this win as a starting point, not a finish line, which is something to think about.

And it’s not like the competition around him was weak. Duo Vespertilio delivered dramatic aerial performances, while Spud Howard impressed with powerful vocals, and Harry Merlin Piper blended comedy with illusion. Each finalist had something that worked, but it was Salta who simply connected the most with viewers.

This reboot of Star Search, hosted by Anthony Anderson with judges Jelly Roll, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Chrissy Teigen, has worked better with audience control than past versions. And one of the biggest attractions was the live voting system, which added real tension because nobody knew how it would land until the votes closed.

And when the results were in, the audience chose magic. Salta now walks away with $500,000 and the title. More importantly, he leaves with national exposure and a finale performance that people will remember for a very long time. In a competition built on live pressure, he stayed strong and delivered when it mattered most. And that is how you win a live show on Netflix.