America’s Got Talent has crowned its season 21 winner, and she’s barely old enough to drive. Nene Royal, a 16-year-old singer and guitarist from Thailand, took the title during Wednesday night’s results show on NBC, capping a season built on rock covers that most adults wouldn’t touch. She locked in her spot early with a Golden Buzzer performance in the quarterfinals, covering Soundgarden’s“Black Hole Sun.”
The finale was a full flex. Royal reimagined the White Stripes’“Seven Nation Army”with a brand-new guitar solo, all while wearing a traditional dress that read“Nene Thailand.”Her prize is the $1 million winner’s check plus a headlining slot in a Las Vegas live show. The results episode also featured performances from Linkin Park, Josh Groban, Lele Pons and Steve Aoki.
Royal’s win is a big one for guitar-driven music on a show that usually rewards powerhouse vocalists. She picked songs like The Cranberries’“Zombie”and turned them into moments, and America voted accordingly. At 16, she’s now got a seven-figure check, a Vegas stage, and a whole lot of buzz.
Which cover from Nene’s season was your favorite? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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