Sixteen-year-old Thai singer and guitarist Nene Royal has won America’s Got Talent Season 21. The multi-week competition concluded its run on NBC after a two-night finale on September 22 and September 23, 2026, earning Royal the $1 million grand prize and a headlining Las Vegas residency.
Nene Royal Claims the Season 21 Crown and Grand Prize
The journey to the America’s Got Talent Season 21 finale culminated when host Terry Crews announced that viewer votes had put Nene Royal at the top of the pack. Hailing from Phuket, Thailand, the 16-year-old performer captivated the audience during the final showdown by reinterpreting the White Stripes’ hit Seven Nation Army
while wearing a traditional dress emblazoned with the words Nene Thailand
. Beyond taking home the $1 million cash award, the champion earned a coveted headlining spot in a live show in Las Vegas.
Royal’s path through the competition featured several standout musical moments that drew high praise from the judges’ table. Earlier in the season, her cover of Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun
secured Mel B’s Golden Buzzer, propelling the young artist straight toward the final rounds. During the live results show, Royal joined forces with guest performers Linkin Park for a collaborative rendition of The Emptiness Machine
.
“Well, I’m glad I pressed my Golden Buzzer. Because not only do you have such mysterious, mystical stage presence, you’re from the best place in the world, Phuket, Thailand…and what you’re bringing to this competition is so unique and you’re only 16 years old.”
Mel B, Judge
The Top 10 Finalists and Podium Results
The two-hour event brought together ten diverse acts that had survived months of audience voting and judges’ selections. The final lineup featured a mix of magicians, dance crews, and vocalists who performed live at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.
- Acro Canine Crew
- Come Here
- Geno Ploeger
- Hundred Fingers
- Lai Noelle
- Nene Royal
- Olivia Befus
- Royal Lasers
- Unitree
- Veronika Goroshkova
As America’s votes were tallied, the field narrowed. Magician Geno Ploeger finished as the runner-up, securing second place, while the magic group Hundred Fingers rounded out the top three on the podium. Among the finalists missing the podium, Veronika Goroshkova placed fifth, while contestants including Olivia Befus, Lai Noelle, Unitree, and Acro Canine Crew were eliminated earlier in the final voting tally.
Star-Studded Finale Night Performances and Guest Lineup
The final broadcast combined competition results with an extensive roster of celebrity guest appearances and musical collaborations. In addition to Linkin Park, the evening featured performances by Josh Groban, REI AMI, Chloe Flower, Steve Aoki, and Lele Pons. Returning fan favorites and franchise alumni also took the spotlight during the results show, including previous winner Jessica Sanchez, illusionist Mat Franco, and a special appearance by Olympian Sydney Levrone, alongside social media correspondents Trisha Paytas and Taylen Biggs.
The judging panel for Season 21 featured Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Sofía Vergara, alongside guest judge KSI, who stepped in while Simon Cowell recovered from an undisclosed medical procedure. Mandel offered high praise for the newly crowned champion during the broadcast.
“The biggest, most talented, most viral talent to be on that stage…you should win. Give her the million, America.”
Howie Mandel, Judge
How America Voted in Season 21
Viewers shaped the outcome of the competition through a multi-platform voting window that opened immediately following the first night of live performances. Fans were given three distinct channels to cast their support: the official NBC website, the AGT mobile application, and TikTok comments on the show’s designated profile posts. Each voter was limited to ten submissions per method, with the flexibility to allocate all ten votes to a single finalist or distribute them among multiple acts before voting closed the following morning.
