“America’s Got Talent” has finally crowned its 21st season winner, and fans are in awe. The 16-year-old singer and guitarist, Nene Royal, who stole America’s heart from her first audition, walked away with the grand prize.
NBC’s official results made this announcement.
The Thai teenager who captivated everyone her first time on the show beat magician Geno Ploeger in the final vote. This amazing victory also earned her the sum of $1 million.
Royal’s win brings to an end a remarkable and enduring journey of resilience, brilliance, and agility on her part. Her stage dream almost came to an end, but she scaled through with the judges’ callback and got a Golden Buzzer from Mel B, which sealed her fate on the show.
Nene Royal Beats Geno Ploeger To Win ‘AGT’ Season 21
Host Terry Crews revealed Royal as the winner at the end of the September 23 results show. Royal stood side-by-side with her greatest competitor, Geno, in one of the most breathtaking moments on the show.
After all other finalists had been eliminated from the show, they were the final two acts left on the stage. As soon as Crews announced the winner, Royal burst into emotional tears. She also thanked her fans and all the voters who stood by her during this trying time.
Geno, on the other hand, who came out as the season’s runner-up, also had a challenging time on the show. He got to the final round purely on votes, as he never earned a Golden Buzzer throughout the competition.
Magic group Hundred Fingers finished in third place. However, their run ended with another major opportunity after Howie Mandel promised to produce and pay for a Las Vegas show for the group.
Nene Royal’s Road To The Finale Wasn’t Always Guaranteed
Royal first caught the attention of the world, including the judges at her audition, where she performed The Cranberries’ “Zombie” with a guitar. It was a surprising act, especially from a teenage girl, and all eyes were on her from that moment.
Her rock-style music helped her stand out in the competition. Royal then became a part of Howie Mandel’s group during the new Judges’ Callbacks round and had to perform again at the Laugh Factory before learning what her fate would be.
Although Mandel decided to send her to the quarterfinals, what she ultimately did sealed her path to the finals. During this round, she performed Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” Mel B, another judge on the show, was so impressed by this rendition that she gave her a Golden Buzzer on the spot.
She was one of four contestants to reach the finale through a Live Golden Buzzer. Unitree, Hundred Fingers, and Lai Noelle also earned the advantage during the quarterfinals.
Nene Royal Shared The Stage With Linkin Park Before Her Win
Before she was announced as the winner, Royal got another major rock moment when she stood side-by-side with Linkin Park onstage for a performance of “The Emptiness Machine.”
This stage collaboration gave the teenager the opportunity to perform with one of the world’s biggest rock music bands, which was no doubt a surreal moment for her.
Aside from Park, several other amazing acts were present for the season finale night. Josh Groban, Steve Aoki, previous “AGT” winner Jessica Sanchez, and Season 9 champion Mat Franco were also present.
Congratulations, Nene Royal, “America’s Got Talent” season 21 winner!
