Phuket teenager Nene Royal reaches America’s Got Talent final
Nene Royal advanced directly to the America’s Got Talent final after judge Mel B awarded her a Live Show Golden Buzzer for her performance of Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun.
Phuket teenager Nene Royal has reached the final of America’s Got Talent Season 21 after judge Mel B awarded her a Live Show Golden Buzzer for performing Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun.
The 16-year-old Thai singer and guitarist combined powerful vocals with an energetic guitar solo during the live quarter-finals. Her performance also drew praise from Vicky Cornell, widow of late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, according to Nation Thailand.
The Golden Buzzer sent Nene directly to the final, allowing her to bypass the semi-finals scheduled for September 15 and 16. It does not give her additional points or votes once the final begins.
The final is scheduled for September 22, with the winner due to be announced on September 23 in US local time. The result will be decided entirely by viewers in the United States, voting through NBC.com, the NBC application and TikTok.
This season’s quarter-finals feature 44 acts across four weeks, with 11 contestants performing each week. Apart from the Golden Buzzer recipient, the three acts receiving the most viewer votes in each weekly round advance to the semi-finals.
The winner will receive a US$1 million prize, worth approximately B35 million.
Nene was scheduled to arrive at Phuket International Airport at 8.45pm on August 28 through the international passenger terminal, where supporters were expected to welcome her.
The self-taught musician previously performed on Phuket’s streets. Her progress on the programme has brought growing attention to her singing, guitar playing and stage presence.
