Thai guitarist Nene Royal wins America's Got Talent Season 21

The 16-year-old from Phuket became the show's first Thai winner after a run built around guitar-led rock performances.

Sep 28, 2026

Nene Royal performing on America's Got Talent

Credit: ABS-CBN

Nene Royal has won Season 21 of America's Got Talent, becoming the first Thai contestant to take the title. The 16-year-old singer and guitarist from Phuket was announced as the winner on September 23 after the public vote, with the result confirmed in Thailand on September 24.

Royal's route through the competition kept guitar at the center: she began with a version of the Cranberries' Zombie, earned a Golden Buzzer for Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun and played Seven Nation Army in the finale. The win carries a $1 million prize and turns an international television run into a major career launch for a young guitarist.

Why it matters

A guitar-centered act winning a mainstream global talent competition is unusual, and Royal's victory gives a young Asian rock player a much larger platform.

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Also see:Nene Royal Rock