Nene Royal, a 16-year-old rocker, has been crowned the latest winner of America's Got Talent - making her the first ever Thai winner of the long-running talent show. For the show's finals on Tuesday in California, Nene, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, performed a rendition of Seven Nation Army by American rock duo The White Stripes. Her heavy metal performances trumped nine other finalists, including a magician act, canine performers and even a robot dance crew.
Many in Thailand are celebrating her win, with some saying they were proud that she had made it to "one of the biggest stages in the world". The hai government has called her an "inspiration to anyone who dares to dream big". Nene emerged as a clear fan favourite early in the competition, after a viral clip of her audition, in which she belted out Zombie by The Cranberries to an stunned panel of judges.
The video has racked up 20 million views. On Wednesday night, ahead of the results being announced, Nene took the stage with Linkin Park to perform The Emptiness Machine, a 2024 rock song by the American band. Later that night she broke down in tears, kneeling on the ground as she was crowned the winner of the show's 21st season - which comes with a prize of $1m (£755,000).
"I'm very happy and emotional right now," she said, thanking everyone for supporting her. The results show was also eagerly followed by her legion of fans in Thailand, who were unable to watch the live broadcast on the television network NBC. Many in Thailand had to resort to a YouTube livestream instead - and were thrown into distress when the livestream was abruptly cut in the middle of the results announcements.
But moments later came sighs of relief and exclamations of joy, as word got around that Nene had secured her historic victory. "History made!" one Thai social media user wrote on Facebook. "Let the world write it down that this Thai kid is incredibly talented," wrote another.
"What makes this win special is that Nene carried her Thai identity with confidence onto one of the world's biggest stages," the Thai government's public relations department said in a statement on Thursday. "She showed that talent, hard work, and determination can come from anywhere, including a young girl from Phuket with a guitar and a big dream." According to Nene, she started playing the guitar when she was seven years old and harboured dreams of becoming a touring musician. In her hometown of Phuket, a tourist hub known for its beaches and seaside resorts, Nene was known to busk at Naka Weekend Market.
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