Nene Royal – Sixteen-Year-Old from Phuket Wins America’s Got Talent
September 27, 2026Nene Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, started playing guitar by chance when she was seven years old. She wanted to join her school's computer club, but it was already full. Instead, she ended up in the music group, where guitar was the instrument that was still available. Once she started learning the basics, however, she showed a unique talent for playing the instrument, and her interest quickly grew. She also started practicing at home by studying videos online and became so skilled that she received a music scholarship to Kajonkiet International School Phuket, where she studied.
Even as a child, Nene began performing at markets and smaller stages in Phuket. She played for diners and passersby at Naka Weekend Market for several years and performed with local musicians and the band OZONE. She also started uploading clips of herself playing guitar to YouTube, and the videos began getting more and more views. She also took part in several competitions and finished second in the Overdrive Guitar Contest in 2023. In 2025, she won the Outstanding Player award at the King Power Band Competition.
Nene’s path to AGT – America’s Got Talent began after an American tourist named Sean discovered her while she was playing at a market in Phuket. He helped the family with the English-language application, submitted videos of her performances and helped cover the costs of the trip to Los Angeles. Eventually, Nene was invited to audition for the show.
Song Number One
For her audition, she chose The Cranberries song Zombie. She performed her own very rock-oriented version with such talent and passion that the audience gave her a standing ovation. All four judges, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B and Sofia Vergara, voted yes. The performance quickly went viral and became the season’s most-watched audition clip.
Song Number Two
In the next stage, the Judges’ Callbacks, Nene performed Muse song Hysteria. Howie Mandel and guest judge Nikki Glaser praised her energy and performance and sent her through to the live shows. AGT also released the performance early because of the huge interest surrounding her.
Quarterfinal – Straight to the Final
In the quarterfinal, Nene performed Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden. The performance was another success, and Mel B pressed the show’s Golden Buzzer. This sent Nene straight to the final without having to wait for the audience vote.
Video: Nene performs "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden. AGT 2026 quarterfinal
The Final
In the final, she performed Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes and added her own guitar solo. The audience and judges rose to their feet after the performance, and she received a very positive response from the judges. Another success!
The Win Made Nene a Millionaire
After the final performance, the competition was decided by the audience vote. Nene Royal won and received a prize of one million U.S. dollars.
For a sixteen-year-old musician who started playing at markets in Phuket, this is undeniably remarkable. Nene Royal now has a very different starting point for her future music career. All we can do is hope that, as a teenager, she will be able to handle the success and fame well. I think she will. She seems like a girl who knows how to stand her ground, with supportive parents. It will be very interesting to see whether she starts releasing her own music.
Personally, I was especially excited because all four songs are ones I really like. I played both the originals and Nene’s versions for nineteen-year-old Pat, who lives with us. She watched with fascination, but was a little puzzled by Soundgarden’s dystopian video for Black Hole Sun.
General Facts About Nene Royal
• Name: Rattikarn Amloy – Thai: รัตติกาล อำลอย
• Stage name: Nene Royal
• Born: 2010
• Place of birth: Phuket, Thailand
• Nationality: Thai
• Website: NeneRoyal.com
• Instagram: Nene Royal on Instagram
• YouTube: Nene Royal on YouTube
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