AGT guest judge praises 16-year-old Nene Royal’s ‘insane’ performance

Entertainment
24 Sep 2026 • 9:44 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

AGT guest judge praises 16-year-old Nene Royal’s ‘insane’ performance

  • Sixteen-year-old singer and guitarist Nene Royal from Phuket has become the first Thai winner of America’s Got Talent, taking home the one-million-dollar grand prize for the show's 21st season.
  • Royal won the top spot after competing against nine other finalists in the competition, finishing ahead of runner-up magician Geno Ploeger and third-place South Korean magic duo Hundred Fingers.
  • During the final performances, Royal reworked The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army with a heavy guitar solo and later performed The Emptiness Machine live alongside rock band Linkin Park.
  • Guest judge KSI, who was filling in for Simon Cowell, told Royal: “This is the first time I’ve ever seen and heard you. And I am a fan. That was out of this world. You should be so proud. That was insane.”
  • Following her historic victory, Royal earned praise from Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and was celebrated by her school and the local Phuket night market where she first learned to perform.

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