16-year-old Thai rocker wins America’s Got Talent $1m grand prize

Sixteen-year-old Thai musician Nene Royal has taken home the top prize of $1 million (£755,000) on the latest season of America’s Got Talent, making her the first contestant from Thailand to win the competition. Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, delivered a powerful rendition of "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes in the final, outperforming nine other finalists, which included magicians, canine performers, and a robot dance crew.

She had previously gained significant online attention with her audition performance of "Zombie" by The Cranberries, which has garnered over 20 million views.

Royal's journey on the show included a Golden Buzzer performance of "Black Hole Sun" and a collaboration with Linkin Park on "The Emptiness Machine" before the final event. She began playing guitar at the age of seven and has expressed her aspiration to become a touring musician. Her triumph was celebrated by the Naka Weekend Market in Phuket, which posted a message of pride for her success on one of the world's biggest stages.

The Thai Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, hailed Royal's win as a source of honor for Thailand and a cause for national pride. Thai viewers were unable to watch the show live on NBC, but followed the results through a YouTube livestream, which was abruptly cut before the announcement. This interruption was seen as a moment of relief and joy by viewers upon hearing the news.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul praised Royal's win, stating that it had brought prestige to Thailand and instilled pride in the Thai people. Local residents and schoolmates also expressed their pride and joy over her success at the prestigious competition.