Nene Royal triumphs on America's Got Talent - Bangkok Post
Nene Royal, the 16-year-old Thai rocker from Phuket, has been crowned the winner of America's Got Talent (AGT) 2026, claiming a million-dollar first prize after an unforgettable run that captured hearts worldwide.
A day after setting the stage alight with Seven Nation Army in the final round, Nene prevailed over nine other contestants in online fan voting to capture the prize, a potential launching pad for an international career.
The result was announced live on Wednesday night US time — minutes before 10am Thursday morning in Thailand — after the local busker-turned-rock star shared the stage with American rock legends Linkin Park to perform their hit The Emptiness Machine.
“Incredible … incredible,” said Mike Shinoda, who co-founded the band in 1996, when asked how he felt about Nene’s performance.
Vocalist Emily Armstrong wished Nene good luck. “We’re all in for you, for sure,” she said.
Nene Royal from Thailand joins Linkin Park on stage, performing The Emptiness Machine from their 2024 album From Zero, at AGT 2026.
Since her debut in the audition round of the NBC talent show with a captivating live rendition of The Cranberries’ Zombie, Rattikarn “Praew” Amloy, known by her stage name Nene Royal, has garnered enormous attention worldwide.
Her guitar and singing talent, along with the humility that belies her onstage rock-star energy, drew more than 1.5 million views in a day for her video on AGT’s official account — a high number even by the show’s standards.
Nene Royal has been playing guitar since the age of seven, teaching herself from online videos. (Photo: Narong Amploy Facebook account)
It has been a whirlwind few weeks, but the 16-year-old winner’s journey to this moment took almost a decade.
Nene has been playing guitar since the age of seven, teaching herself from online videos. Before her international breakthrough, she was known in Phuket for busking at the Naka Weekend Market with her bands Ozone and Miniheart, mainly performing rock and metal covers.
Her performances captivated both local and international audiences at the market, even drawing a dedicated fan from Denmark, who gave her a rare Ibanez Musician Series MC300 — the electric guitar she used for her AGT audition.
The Thai teen has since built a following of more than 3 million people across social media platforms and has been named a featured artist for the global instrument brand Enya Music.
Nene Royal and her band, Ozone, perform at Naka Weekend Market in Phuket in September 2024. (Photo: OZONE Band FC Facebook page)
Her breakthrough came on July 8, 2026, when a video titled “16-Year-Old Nene Royal Is Shy … Until She Starts Singing Zombie” was posted on the AGT channel. That was the moment the world learned her name.
Following the explosive Zombie performance, Nene became a global sensation.
The Thai government named her a tourism ambassador to help promote the country abroad and announced it would cover all her expenses related to her participation in America’s Got Talent.
She followed up Zombie with a cover of Muse’s Hysteria during the callbacks round, which surpassed 1 million views online within 14 hours of its release.
Ahead of the live show, Nene opened up about how her mother remains the most important person in her life, after receiving royal recognition for her devotion and gratitude towards her mother on National Mother’s Day.
According to Nene, her mother has always been a trusted source of advice and emotional support, repeatedly assuring her that she could turn to her whenever she faced problems or difficulties.
Nene's parents, Chuanpit Poonkerd and Narong Amloy. (Photo: AGT)
“I dreamed that she would one day become a superstar,” Nene’s mother, Chuanpit “Mae Oom” Poonkerd, told Thairath TV. “I want to tell my daughter that I am so proud of her.”
Just as supportive is her father, Narong Amloy, a 57-year-old stone carver who introduced Nene to the world of music and has joined her every step of the way — from taking her busking to preparing a rehearsal room at home.
The Thai rock star made history again on the live show with a high-energy performance of Soundgarden’s grunge hit Black Hole Sun that impressed the judges so much she was awarded a Golden Buzzer by Mel B, propelling Nene to the Grand Final.
By this time, everyone knew that Nene ould rock, but the fashion sense of the AGT breakout star was also starting to attract notice. During her live show performance, she wore a Thai-inspired costume blending Phuket tradition with a rock ’n’ roll look, carrying Thai identity, craftsmanship and beauty to an international audience.
In the Grand Final on Sept 23, Nene once again lit up the stage with The White Stripes’ rock anthem Seven Nation Army, earning rave reviews from the judges.
“The biggest, most talented, most viral talent to be on that stage,” said Howie Mandel. “I was standing with your father. This is unbelievable. You should win. Give her the million, America. Give her the million.”
Following her performance, Nene said her dream had come true, recalling that she picked up a guitar at a young age and had always wanted to become a rock star. She said she was glad to have reached the show’s final and achieved her aspiration.
“That’s my girl. I’m so proud of her,” her father wrote in a comment on her final performance video.
A day after her final performance, AGT announced that Nene Royal had officially been voted the winner of the season, securing the show’s $1-million prize.
“I won the AGT!” Nene said in an AGT TikTok live video after the announcement. “Thank you everyone for supporting and voting for me. I love you guys.”
Nene was followed by Geno Ploeger in second place and Hundred Fingers in third place.
From a night market stage in Phuket to the global talent show, Nene’s journey and musical talent have never failed to surprise fans. She has captivated audiences with her stage presence at every step, all the way to victory.
And if her story so far is telling us anything, one thing is for certain; this is only the overture.
