Phuket’s Nene Royal rocks America’s Got Talent

Nene Royal, a 16-year-old singer-guitarist from Phuket, has become an online sensation after impressing judges and crowds on America’s Got Talent, earning a unanimous four “Yes” votes to advance to the next round.

Rattikarn “Praew” Umloy, known by her stage name Nene Royal, performed a live rendition of The Cranberries’ Zombie on the NBC talent show, combining powerful vocals with guitar skills that drew a standing ovation from the studio audience.

The performance has since gone viral, with Thai and international fans praising her talent on social media. Her audition video posted on the show’s official account attracted 1.5 million views in a day, a high number even for America’s Got Talent.

Nene began playing guitar at the age of six, teaching herself by studying videos online before developing her skills further. She has built a following of more than three million people across social media platforms and was named a featured artist for the global instrument brand Enya Music.

Before her international breakthrough, she was known in Phuket for busking at the Naka Weekend Market with her bands OZONE Band and Miniheart, performing rock and metal covers. She also appeared on the Workpoint 23 programme Super 10, where she shared the stage with veteran rock artist PooH Anchalee.

Her other accolades include first runner-up at the 14th Overdrive Guitar Contest in 2023 and an Outstanding Player award at the King Power Band Competition in 2025.

During her America’s Got Talent audition, Nene introduced herself as a representative of Phuket, Thailand, and revealed she was recording the episode a day before her 16th birthday. Judges and audience members responded by saying Happy Birthday to her on stage.

She said that her biggest dream was to become a superstar on tour.

Following her performance, the four judges praised her stage presence and “rock star” energy, noting that while her performance retained a raw quality, this only added to its charm.

She advanced to the next round accompanied by her father, who had travelled with her for the audition.

Nene is currently working on her own original music, collaborating with professional producers and musicians on her debut EP, a step she describes as an important milestone on her path toward becoming a professional artist on the international stage.