A Twist of Fate

A full computer science club changed the course of Nene Royal's life. At age seven, she wanted to join that club at her school in Phuket, Thailand, but it was already full. The only spot left was the music club, where a teacher handed her a guitar. "The moment I started playing, something clicked," she recalled.

Self-Taught Rocker

Now 16, Nene — whose real name is Rattikan Amloy — has become a self-taught guitarist. She learned by watching YouTube videos, studying musicians she admired, and practicing for hours every day. Her dedication has brought her to the stage of America's Got Talent, the world's most watched talent show.

A Dream for Thailand

Nene hopes her journey will resonate back home. "I hope my journey can show other young people in Thailand that it's OK to dream big," she said. Thailand has a long affinity with rock and guitar music, though the scene is dominated by men. Nene said that was never part of her story.

On the AGT Stage

Nene performed Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" on the America's Got Talent episode that aired August 25. During the first callback round, Howie Mandel served as her mentor and believed she could win the show. After her performance, Mel B called it Golden Buzzer-worthy and said Nene went straight through. Simon Cowell missed the episode because he was undergoing an operation that could not be postponed.