Nobody expected 16-year-old Nene Royal to walk onto the America’s Got Talent stage and deliver a performance that would leave the judges speechless—but within seconds, she had the entire theater on its feet! 🎸🔥 With jaw-dropping two-hand tapping and electrifying rock ‘n’ roll energy, the teenage guitar prodigy transformed The Cranberries’ timeless classic into an explosive showcase of talent beyond her years.
16-year-old guitarist and singer Nene Royal just stunned judges on America’s Got Talent with an explosive cover of The Cranberries hit, Zombie.
The young Thai guitarist was already making quite a name for herself on social media before her audition. Royal’s renditions of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit and System Of A Down’s Sugar and Chop Suey went viral, helping her amass over three million followers.
Royal took to the 3,000-capacity Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California for the America’s Got Talent audition, and her take on Zombie has already racked up over two million views.
The young guitarist opted for a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp and an Ibanez Musician Series electric guitar for a heavier-than-usual version of Zombie, complete with a dash of two-hand tapping.
“Nene, that was spectacular,” raves judge Sofia Vergara. “You have a very big chance to do well in this competition.”
“You are such a surprise… and the energy, and the rock ’n’ roll. You are a rock star, young lady,” added one of the other judges, Howie Mandel.
Safe to say, the guitarist sailed through to the next round after receiving four nods of approval.
A self-taught guitarist since the age of six, Royal is now looking beyond AGT. According to her official website, she is also currently “recording original music and preparing her debut EP.”
As for the track she decided to cover on AGT, The Cranberries’ guitarist Noel Hogan spoke to Guitar World in 2025 about how Zombie came about.
Those hoping to catch Royal before she hits the big time can still see her perform at Naka Weekend Market in Phuket every Saturday – at least for the time being.
