A 16-year-old rock guitarist from Phuket, Thailand, just won one of the biggest talent shows on television, and she did it playing a nearly 50-year-old Ibanez.
Nene Royal was crowned the winner of America's Got Talent Season 21 on Sept. 23, becoming the first Thai contestant to take the title and its $1 million prize. Two days later, promoters announced she will open for Avenged Sevenfold in Singapore.
The short version
Royal, 16, won AGT Season 21 on Sept. 23, the show's first winner from Thailand.
She is largely self-taught, learning guitar from YouTube videos starting around age 7.
Her main guitar is a 1978 Ibanez Musician Series MC300, a gift from a fan in Denmark.
She performed with Linkin Park and The Warning during finale week.
She opens for Avenged Sevenfold at Singapore Indoor Stadium on Oct. 13.
How she won
Royal built her run on rock covers. Her audition take on The Cranberries' "Zombie" went viral, and judge Mel B hit the Golden Buzzer for her version of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" in the quarterfinals, sending her straight to the finals.
There, a reworked "Seven Nation Army" earned a standing ovation. Guest judge KSI called it "out of this world," and Howie Mandel told viewers to "give her the million." Finale week also delivered a bucket-list moment: she sang "The Emptiness Machine" with Linkin Park's Emily Armstrong and played "Kerosene" with Mexican rock trio The Warning.
The guitar people are asking about
Royal isn't playing a new signature model or a boutique build. Her go-to is a 1978 Ibanez from the company's late-'70s Musician Series, which a Danish fan gave her in 2024.
It's a reminder that great tone and stage presence don't depend on the newest or most expensive gear. It's also the kind of TV moment that sends fans searching online for vintage models.
A YouTube-taught rock star
Royal picked up guitar at 6 or 7 and learned mostly from online videos. She reportedly ended up in music class only because the computer science class was full. Back home, she plays in two Phuket bands, OZONE Band and Miniheart.
Her path fits a trend we covered this week: 65% of music enthusiasts in a recent Campbellsville University survey said social media is making young people more interested in learning a real instrument.
Why it matters
Players: Rock guitar can still win a mainstream TV audience, and a vintage guitar with a good setup can hold its own on the biggest stage.
Retailers: Viral moments like this bring new players through the door. It's a good time to spotlight beginner guitars, amps and lessons.
Brands: No endorsement deal has been announced. Ibanez has the obvious head start, but a young, global player with viral reach will draw attention from across the industry.
What's next
The Oct. 13 Singapore show will be Royal's first big stage since the win, and Avenged Sevenfold's first concert in Singapore in more than 11 years. AGT pays its $1 million prize as a 40-year annuity, with the option of taking a smaller lump sum. MI Insider will be watching which gear, and which brands, show up with her next.
Sources: Guitar World (Sept. 24, 2026), The Thaiger, Bandwagon and CNN (Sept. 25, 2026), Wikipedia for background, and Campbellsville University for survey data.