Thai teen phenom Nene Royal to open for US metal band after winning America’s Got Talent
By Lex Harvey, CNN
(CNN) — A teen guitar hero who was recently busking night markets in her native Thailand will open for one of America’s biggest metal bands, after taking the crown at America’s Got Talent and becoming an icon back home.
Nene Royal, 16, is set to open for Avenged Sevenfold at their show in Singapore on October 13, according to a post shared by the group’s promoter and Nene to Instagram Thursday.
“The stage is about to get LOUDER,” the post said, welcoming Nene as a “very special guest.”
Nene’s latest gig follows a stunning rise for the Thai rocker in recent months, after she wowed the judges and audience with her powerful rendition of “Zombie” by The Cranberries in her audition for the 21st season of America’s Got Talent.
The performance – which Nene’s powerhouse vocals, headbanging and masterful guitar solos rendered more like a rock concert than an audition – quickly went viral, solidifying her as an early fan favorite. The original TikTok video has now been viewed more than 165 million times.
She continued to sweep the competition through her journey to clinching the $1 million prize, earning the “Golden Buzzer” from judge Mel B (or Scary Spice) – sending her straight to the live shows. On the way she jammed with Mexican sibling trio The Warning and for the finale she played on stage with US rockers Linkin Park and delivered a blistering take on The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” .
When host Terry Crews announced Nene as the winner over magician Geno Ploeger, the teen fell to the floor and started crying as gold confetti rained over the stage.
“I’m very happy and emotional,” Nene said, thanking her supporters.
Huntington Beach’s Avenged Sevenfold are embarking on a global tour of Asia and Australasia over the next few weeks and the show in Singapore will give Nene an opportunity to play to a crowd of die hard metal fans in her neighborhood. She has previously cited the band as a major inspiration.
Thai pride
Hype over Nene, who hails from the tourist island of Phuket, has reached fever pitch in Thailand, with much of the Southeast Asian country of 71 million rallying behind the teen sensation, who started teaching herself to play guitar at age 7. Before gracing international stages, Nene performed at Phuket’s Naka Weekend Market. She is currently working on her debut EP.
Thailand’s most famous rock musician, Aed Carabao, pledged 1 million Thai baht (about $30,000) to help cover travel expenses to California for Nene and her family.
A billboard by Thai conglomerate CP Group in New York City’s Times Square featured a photo of Nene and messages from dozens of Thai fans cheering her on. The conglomerate also gifted Nene a luxury condo in Bangkok.
The Thai government has heavily championed Nene, calling her “an inspiration to anyone who dares to dream big” in a statement following her win.
“What makes this win special is that Nene carried her Thai identity with confidence onto one of the world’s biggest stages,” said the statement.
“She showed that talent, hard work, and determination can come from anywhere, including a young girl from Phuket with a guitar and a big dream.”
Winning the competition was one of her “biggest dreams,” Nene told Entertainment Weekly this week.
“Now I want to focus on creating and releasing my own music, touring around the world, and hopefully one day, sharing a stage with the bands that inspire me, like Avenged Sevenfold or Metallica,” she said. “That’s my next dream.”
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CNN’s Kocha Olarn contributed reporting.
