Every so often, a performer comes along who sounds like no one else. On this season of America’s Got Talent, that performer was Nene Royal, a 16-year-old rock singer and guitarist from Phuket, Thailand.
Nene had already earned Mel B.’s Golden Buzzer in the Quarterfinals. But for the Season 21 finale on September 22, she pulled out all the stops with a fierce rock version of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” The judges leapt to their feet, and Howie Mandel even went into the audience to hug her dad.
Guest judge KSI, who was filling in for Simon Cowell while he recovered from back surgery, admitted it was the first time he had ever seen her perform. “And I am a fan. That was out of this world,” he said.
Mel B. was beaming. “I’m glad that I pressed my Golden Buzzer,” she said, praising Nene’s “mysterious, mystical stage presence,” before joking, “If you don’t win this, I am going to sell Howie’s new house.” Sofia Vergara added, “I think the world is going crazy because there is nothing like you right now.”
Nene explained that she picked up the guitar at just 7 years old, dreaming of one day becoming a rock star. “My dream’s come true,” she said with a smile.
Howie declared that she should win, and America agreed. The next night, Nene Royal was crowned the winner of America’s Got Talent Season 21, and the video of her finale performance has already been watched more than 15 million times on YouTube.
Video credit: America’s Got Talent on YouTube