Nene Royal makes history as first Thai contestant to win America's Got Talent

Nene Royal, a 16-year-old rocker, has stormed the American Got Talent stage by becoming the first Thai contestant to win the competition.

During Tuesday's finals in California, Nene, born as Rattikarn Amloy, performed a cover of Seven Nation Army by the American rock duo The White Stripes.

Her solid, heavy metal, dazzling performance outshined all other nine finalists, including magician acts, canine performers, and even a robot dance crew.

It didn’t take too long for Nene to establish herself as a fan favourite from the very start of the competition after a clip of her audition, where she sang Zombie, went viral.

The video has so far amassed over 20 million views.

On Wednesday night, before the results were announced, she appeared on stage along with the band Linkin Park The Emptiness Machine, a 2024 rock song.

After the results were out, she couldn’t hold back her tears, kneeling on the ground as she was crowned the winner of America Got Talent’s 21st season.

She also bagged a cash prize worth $1 million.

Many in Thailand who had to switch to YouTube livestream to watch her performance are now celebrating her big win with the Thai government calling her an “inspiration to anyone who dares to dream big.”