PHUKET — 24 September 2026, From teaching herself guitar through YouTube videos as a child to becoming the first Thai winner of America’s Got Talent, Nene Royal has taken an extraordinary musical journey to the world stage.
Born on 14 March 2010 in Phuket, Rattikan “Nene Royal” Amloy began teaching herself to play guitar through YouTube videos when she was around 6 or 7 years old.
At the age of 12, she began performing music in public under the stage name “Nene Royal,” gradually building experience and attracting attention for her guitar skills and powerful vocals.
In 2022, Nene appeared on the Thai television program Super 10, where she had the opportunity to perform alongside legendary Thai singer and musician Poo Anchalee Jongkadeekij.
Her growing experience continued in 2023, when she won first runner-up at the Overdrive Guitar Contest, along with the special awards for Best Musician and Best Vocalist. She also received the Trang Music Award.
In 2025, Nene added another achievement to her growing list of awards, receiving the Outstanding Player award at the King Power Band Competition.
From Phuket to America’s Got Talent
Between February and July 2026, Nene took part in auditions for America’s Got Talent Season 21 in the United States.
In July, she stunned the judges with her performance of “Zombie” by The Cranberries, combining powerful vocals with an intense guitar solo. The performance quickly went viral, reportedly surpassing 100 million views across social media platforms within days.
In August, Nene continued through the Judges’ Callbacks and Live Shows, performing Muse’s “Hysteria” during the Judges’ Callbacks and earning widespread attention from music fans and media in Thailand and abroad.
She then delivered another standout performance during the live rounds, prompting judge Mel B to press the Golden Buzzer, sending Nene directly to the final.
The final
On 23 September 2026, Nene took the stage for the America’s Got Talent Season 21 final, performing The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” as viewers around the world waited for the results.
On 24 September 2026, Nene was crowned the winner of America’s Got Talent Season 21, becoming the first Thai contestant to win the competition.
The victory comes with a reported US$1 million prize, equivalent to around 33 million baht. According to the show’s prize terms, the winner can choose between two payment options.
The first is an annual payment of US$25,000 per year for 40 years, totaling US$1 million, before applicable taxes.
The second option is a lump-sum payment based on the present cash value of the prize. The amount is reduced from the headline US$1 million prize and has been reported at around US$300,000–430,000, or approximately 9.9–14.2 million baht, before applicable taxes.
From a young girl teaching herself guitar in Phuket to standing on one of the world’s biggest talent-show stages, Nene Royal’s journey has brought a new international spotlight to Thai music talent.
