'America's Got Talent': Julianne Hough on Joining Sexy Acrobats for 'Magic Mike' Performance (Exclusive)

The 'AGT' judge opened up to ET about being brought on stage by three handsome, shirtless acrobats.

America's Got Talent kicked off the first night of their semifinals and things got steamy early on when the Messoudi Brothers took to the stage for a sexy Magic Mike-inspired performance that saw Julianne Hough get in on the act.

The routine -- set to Ginuwine's iconic hook-up anthem "Pony" -- featured all three of the handsome, shirtless brothers escorting Hough onto a platform set up in front of the judges' table. 

After one of the brothers got on his hands and knees, Hough was directed to essentially sit on his back and he pulled off an impressive, somehow seductive handstand and thus incorportated her into their amazing acrobatics.

"The fact that I wore pants is like, 'Thank you universe! You just knew what was gonna happen!' Hough told ET's Denny Directo backstage after Tuesday's show. "Although I would have done it even if I was in a dress anyway."

For Hough, getting to be part of the act is what sets AGT apart for her as a judge.

"That's why I think I was born to be here, because I love being a part [of it]," she shared. "There's something about feeling like you can be an artist and a performer while at the same time you can still help other people achieve their dreams."

This week, she had a bit of a dream come true herself with the sultry Messoudi Brothers, and Hough couldn't help but to point out that she was likely the reason for the stunt in the first place.

"I said something about Magic Mike last week and they listened," she said, laughing. "And then they brought me out, and I was okay with that!"

However, the Magic Mike portion of the act was only the beginning. The trio of acrobats -- who revealed that they'd suffered a serious accident during a recent rehearsal -- also attempted to take Simon's past criticism to heart by adding a danger element to their act.

To that end, the big conclusion to their semi-finals performance saw one brother do a handstand on a set of handles coming out of the stage, while the other two brothers balanced on his back, and then they were lifted into the sky and supported just by the strength of one brother's arms.

"The strength is ridiculous, the trust is incredible," Hough reflected. "I knew I was in good hands."

The night was somewhat split, however, when it came to the other acts. Few performers got away unscathed, with only a handful of the night's 11 hopefuls getting universal praise.

Unsurprisingly, one of the performers was the celebrated Kodi Lee -- a blind, autistic piano virtuoso -- who blew the audience away with a cover of Calum Scott's "You Are the Reason."

"Kodi Lee, he just transcends humanity," Hough told ET. "I don't even know what else to say."

This is the third time this season that Lee -- who was awarded a Golden Buzzer from Gabrielle Union early this season -- has won the hearts and minds of the audience and judges. Check out the video below for a look at why Lee is the odds-on favorite to be crowned this season's champion.

Find out which five acts will be making it through to the AGT finals during the special live results show Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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