A 16-year-old Thai guitarist and singer Nene Royal has won the latest season of America’s Got Talent, becoming the first contestant from Thailand to claim the competition’s top prize.
Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, secured the $1 million prize after performing The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” during the final in California, according to BBC News.
She emerged ahead of nine other finalists, who included magicians, canine performers and a robot dance group.
“I’m very happy and emotional right now,” Royal said after her victory.
Her journey on the show began with an audition performance of The Cranberries’ “Zombie”, which went viral and has attracted about 20 million views.
Royal later received a Golden Buzzer after performing Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”, sending her directly through to the next stage of the competition.
She continued her run with a performance of Linkin Park’s “The Emptiness Machine” before reaching the final.
Royal began playing the guitar at seven and has said she hopes to build a career as a touring musician.
Before gaining international recognition, she regularly performed at Naka Weekend Market in Phuket, where she became familiar to local audiences.
The market celebrated her achievement after the final, praising the teenager for taking her talent from a local performance space to one of the world’s biggest entertainment stages.
Her victory also generated excitement across Thailand, although viewers faced difficulties following the final live because the YouTube livestream available to Thai audiences was interrupted during the results.
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Messages celebrating Royal’s achievement quickly spread across Thai social media, with viewers describing her victory as a historic moment for the country.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also congratulated the teenager, saying her achievement had brought honour to Thailand and created a sense of pride among Thai people.
The Thai government’s public relations department similarly highlighted Royal’s ability to carry her Thai identity onto an international stage.
Her former school, Kajonkiet International School, also joined the celebrations, expressing pride in the teenager’s achievement.
For Royal, the victory marks a major step from performing at a market in Phuket to winning one of the world’s most recognised televised talent competitions at just 16.