Thai teenage rocker Nene Royal has secured a place in the America’s Got Talent final after winning Mel B’s Live Golden Buzzer with a powerful cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun”.
The 16-year-old singer and guitarist from Phuket performed in the second live quarter-final at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California on Tuesday night, US time. The crowd erupted as she finished the 1994 rock classic, prompting Mel B to award her the night’s Golden Buzzer.
“Your vocals are on point. Your guitar is on point. Your look, your energy, your vibe, how could I not do this?”
Mel B told Nene before pressing the button.
Gold confetti then rained down on the stage as Nene fell to her knees on stage. Her parents joined her for a tear-jerking embrace.
In Season 21’s live-show format, each judge has one Live Golden Buzzer to award during the quarter-finals. It sends the chosen act directly to the final, bypassing the public vote and the semi-finals.
Howie Mandel praised Nene’s performance, saying: “I know I’m not supposed to say this, but NBC, give her the million right now!”
Sofía Vergara also showed her support, remarking: “Nene, I really think you could win this competition,”
Nene, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, first caught the judges’ attention with a cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie” during the audition round. She later performed Muse’s “Hysteria” in the Judges’ Callbacks, earning her a place in the live shows.
Her Live Golden Buzzer win now makes her one of the first confirmed finalists in this season of America’s Got Talent.
Nene’s success on the international stage has also earned support at home, with the Thai government backing her as a fresh face to help promote Thailand and Phuket to audiences worldwide.