Nene Royal has unleashed her inner Jack White when she needed it the most: the America’s Got Talent grand final.
The teenage Thailand-born singer and guitarist has blown minds throughout the competition, and did so again on Tuesday night (Sept. 22). She brings composure, confidence and craftsmanship to the stage, all of it with a heavy edge. This kid wants to rock.
For her performance in the season 21 finale, Nene reimaged the White Stripes’ classic 2000s number “Seven Nation Army,” grinding that legendary riff into a bludgeon and introducing a fresh guitar solo. The youngster wore a traditional dress, emblazoned with the words “Nene Thailand.”
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At the end, the audience stood as one.
Special guest judge KSI was one of the many who gave a standing ovation. “This is the first time I’ve even seen or heard you,” he remarked. “And I am a fan. That was out of this world. You should be so proud.”
Fellow Brit Mel B shared those sentiments. “Well, I’m glad I pressed my Golden Buzzer,” she quipped. “Because not only do you have such mysterious, mystical stage presence, you’re from the best place in the world, Phuket, Thailand…and what you’re bringing to this competition is so unique and you’re only 16 years old. If you don’t win this, I am going to sell Howie’s new house.”
Sofía Vergara said she was confident that the “world is going crazy because there is nothing like you right now, you are unique.”
Howie Mandel spoke last. Nene, he enthused, is “the biggest, most talented, most viral talent to be on that stage…you should win. Give her the million, America.”
Now, America votes. Royal; singer Lai Noelle, who performed “Risk It All“; and the eight other finalists have a nervous wait for the two-hour results finale show, which airs Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Special guests and performers will include Linkin Park, Josh Groban, Lele Pons, REI AMI and Steve Aoki.
Royal picked up the guitar at age seven and has always dreamed of being a “superstar on tour,” she explained during the auditions phase of AGT. She proved on the day that she wasn’t dreaming, by thrashing out an impressive cover of The Cranberries mid-‘90s protest anthem “Zombie.” During the quarterfinals, she nearly blew the roof off with a cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” and earned the Golden Buzzer for her efforts.
Regardless of whether she’s crowned on the results show, Nene admits “my dream has come true.”
Watch her final performance on NBC’s AGT below.
