Nene Royal is ready for her next chapter

Nene Royal is wasting little time planning what comes next after her historic America’s Got Talent victory.

The 16-year-old singer and guitarist from Phuket, Thailand, became the winner of Season 21 on Sept. 23, earning the competition’s $1 million prize and becoming the first Thai contestant to win the NBC talent show. Her victory capped a remarkable run built around powerful vocals, aggressive guitar playing and a clear passion for rock music.

Now, Nene Royal is looking beyond the television competition.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Royal discussed her ambitions for original music, a potential album, touring and collaborations with artists who have influenced her. The victory may have introduced her to millions of viewers, but she sees it as the beginning rather than the destination.

That attitude is already reflected in the opportunities arriving after her AGT triumph.

Royal has also been linked to upcoming performances and major rock acts, including a scheduled opening appearance for Avenged Sevenfold in Singapore.

Nene Royal wants to make her own music

One of the biggest questions following Royal’s AGT victory has been what kind of music she wants to create next.

During her run on the show, she became known primarily for performing recognizable rock songs. Her audition featured The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” while she later tackled Muse’s “Hysteria,” Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

Those performances established a clear musical identity.

Rather than presenting herself simply as a pop vocalist who happens to play guitar, Royal repeatedly placed her guitar work at the center of her performances. She combined heavy riffs with powerful vocals and energetic stage performances.

Her next goal is to translate that identity into original material.

Royal has spoken about writing her own songs and creating an album as part of her plans after the competition. She has also expressed interest in touring and working with musicians she admires.

For a teenager who was performing at markets in Phuket only a short time ago, the potential scale of that next step is significant.

From Phuket performances to a global audience

Royal’s story began long before she walked onto the AGT stage.

The young musician started playing guitar at age seven and developed much of her ability independently. Reports about her early career describe a teenager who performed around Phuket, including at local markets, before becoming the lead vocalist and guitarist of the youth rock group OZONE.

That experience gave her a foundation that became obvious during her AGT appearances.

Her audition performance of “Zombie” immediately established her as a contestant with a distinctive identity. The combination of guitar technique, vocal power and stage confidence helped her stand out from the large field of performers competing during the season.

Her audition also generated substantial online attention.

According to The Independent, the audition clip accumulated more than 20 million YouTube views, while Royal’s appearances across AGT’s official online platforms generated more than 200 million views.

The numbers helped turn a young musician from Thailand into an international entertainment story.

Nene Royal’s AGT journey kept getting bigger

Royal did not rely on one memorable audition to reach the finale.

During the Judges’ Callbacks, she performed Muse’s “Hysteria,” once again placing her guitar skills at the center of the performance. She then reached the live rounds, where her performance of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” became another defining moment.

That performance earned her a Live Golden Buzzer from judge Mel B.

The Golden Buzzer sent Royal directly into the final, allowing her to bypass the semifinal stage. Thailand’s government public-relations department also highlighted the performance as a major milestone in Royal’s international rise.

Royal then returned for the final with a heavy interpretation of “Seven Nation Army.”

The performance showed another side of her musicianship. She began with a more restrained presentation before building the song into a harder, guitar-driven arrangement.

It was ultimately enough to help her secure the season championship.

A historic victory for Thailand

Royal’s victory carries significance beyond the competition itself.

She became the first Thai winner of America’s Got Talent, making the achievement a major moment for Thailand’s music scene and for young performers from Southeast Asia.

The final result placed Royal ahead of magician Geno Ploeger and South Korean magic duo Hundred Fingers. Royal received the $1 million grand prize as the Season 21 champion.

Her victory also generated widespread celebration in Thailand.

For Royal, however, the win appears to be less about reaching a final destination and more about opening a new door.

The exposure from AGT has given her access to a global audience that would have been difficult to reach through local performances alone.

Now she has the opportunity to turn that exposure into a sustainable career.

Nene Royal also performed with Linkin Park

One of the most memorable moments surrounding the AGT finale came when Royal joined Linkin Park onstage.

She performed “The Emptiness Machine” with the band during the finale, sharing the stage with vocalist Emily Armstrong. The appearance was particularly notable because Linkin Park has been one of the major rock acts Royal has identified as an influence.

The collaboration gave Royal an unusual opportunity for a newly crowned talent-show winner.

Instead of simply receiving the trophy and leaving the stage, she immediately appeared alongside an internationally established rock band.

It also reinforced the direction she appears to be taking with her career.

Royal has named Linkin Park among the artists she would like to work with, along with other major rock and metal acts such as Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, Limp Bizkit and The Warning.

Those names provide a useful indication of the musical world she wants to explore.

A potential Nene Royal album is next

The possibility of a Nene Royal album is now one of the most closely watched parts of her post-AGT career.

Royal has discussed making her own songs and potentially releasing an album. Billboard also reported that she is looking toward original rock music, touring and collaborations following her victory.

That would represent an important transition.

Talent competitions often introduce singers through cover performances, but creating original music requires an entirely different process. Artists must develop their own songwriting voice, recording style and broader artistic identity.

Royal now has an opportunity to build that identity around the qualities that made her successful on AGT.

Her guitar playing could remain a major part of her sound, while her vocal style gives her room to move between alternative rock, hard rock and other related genres.

The eventual project could also help determine whether her television success translates into a longer-term recording career.

Touring could take Royal beyond the United States

Royal has also discussed touring as part of her future.

That possibility has already begun to look more realistic following her AGT win.

Recent reporting says Royal has secured an opening slot for Avenged Sevenfold at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Oct. 13, 2026.

For an artist who is still only 16, opening for an established international rock band would represent another major step.

It could also provide Royal with experience performing in front of audiences outside the television environment.

That matters because live performance is likely to remain central to her career.

Her AGT appearances demonstrated that she thrives in high-energy settings, but touring brings a different set of demands. Artists must perform repeatedly, travel between cities and develop a consistent live show.

Those experiences could become valuable preparation for Royal’s own future headline tour.

Her age makes the rapid rise even more remarkable

Royal’s age has been one of the most notable aspects of her story.

She was only 16 when she won AGT, after already developing years of experience with the guitar.

Her youth also means that her professional career is only beginning.

Unlike an established artist who enters a talent competition with an existing catalog and touring history, Royal has the opportunity to build her musical identity almost from scratch.

The AGT victory provides the audience.

The next challenge is developing the music.

That includes writing songs, recording them, finding the right producers and musicians, and determining how she wants to present herself outside the competition.

Royal’s comments suggest that she understands that distinction.

Rather than simply repeating the performances that made her famous, she appears interested in creating something of her own.

Nene Royal is already attracting major opportunities

The momentum surrounding Royal has continued even after the AGT finale.

Her collaboration with Linkin Park immediately placed her in front of another global audience. Her reported Avenged Sevenfold opening slot provides another high-profile stage.

Those opportunities could eventually lead to additional collaborations.

Royal has already made clear that she wants to work with artists she admires. Whether those collaborations become recordings, live appearances or future tours remains to be seen.

For now, the combination of her AGT victory and growing relationships within the rock community gives her a strong platform from which to develop her next project.

Why the debut album could be an important turning point

A Nene Royal album would give fans the first opportunity to hear her without the restrictions of a television competition.

On AGT, Royal had to select songs that could communicate her talent within a few minutes.

An original record would allow her to tell a larger story.

She could experiment with different guitar sounds, songwriting approaches and vocal styles. She could also introduce listeners to influences that were not necessarily represented by her competition performances.

That freedom could be important as she develops from a teenage talent-show winner into a recording artist.

The transition will not happen overnight.

But Royal has already shown that she is willing to work toward it.

The next chapter begins now

Nene Royal’s AGT victory transformed her from a young performer in Phuket into a globally recognized emerging rock artist.

Her path to the championship included viral attention, a Golden Buzzer, high-profile finale performances and a collaboration with Linkin Park.

Now the focus is shifting.

Royal wants to make original music, explore an album, tour and potentially collaborate with some of the biggest names in rock. She has already secured opportunities that place her alongside established international performers.

The next stage will be about turning that momentum into a lasting musical career.

For fans who discovered her through America’s Got Talent, that may be the most exciting part of the story.

The competition is over.