Nene Royal has been a familiar face in Phuket for years, earning a reputation as a talented young street performer, accomplished guitarist and budding rock musician despite her age.
Her life changed dramatically earlier this month, however, when she received four "Yes" votes from the judges on America's Got Talent, one of the world's biggest talent competitions.
The 16-year-old singer and guitarist impressed both the judges and the audience with a powerful rendition of "Zombie" by Irish rock band The Cranberries during her audition for NBC's 21st season of the show.
Introducing herself as a contestant from Phuket, Thailand, Nene's performance earned a standing ovation, with all four judges praising her musicianship and saying she possessed the charisma and energy of a true rock star.
Since then, her popularity has skyrocketed, not only in Thailand but around the world.
She had already built an online following of more than five million across social media through her guitar covers and street performances, but her appearance on America's Got Talent has introduced her to an even larger global audience.
Her international success was recognised by the Thai government today when Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul invited her to Government House.
"Nene", whose real name is Rattikan Amloi, met the prime minister and cabinet ministers at an event held to celebrate the young musician for bringing international recognition to Thailand through her appearance on the talent show.
During the event, Nene performed "Somsan", a classic rock hit by Thai musician Sek Loso, with Anutin and several cabinet ministers joining in.
She later wowed the audience with an electric guitar solo before performing "Zombie", the song that earned her international acclaim.
Asked whether she was surprised by her overnight fame, Nene admitted she was still coming to terms with her newfound popularity.
"I still don't realise how famous I've become. Everything has happened so quickly," she said. "My life has changed a lot. Everywhere I go now, people recognise me."
Joking about the sudden attention, she added: "I can't even go out to buy meatballs anymore."
Nene said her ultimate dream is to become a globally recognised recording artist, write and perform her own songs, and tour the world.
She revealed that she already has several original songs and hopes to release them soon.
She also explained why she deliberately introduced herself as being from Phuket, rather than simply saying she was from Thailand, during her America's Got Talent audition.
"I want everyone to know I'm from southern Thailand, from Phuket," she said. "Some people have falsely claimed that I'm Cambodian. I want to make it clear that I'm from Phuket, Thailand. I'm 100% Thai and have no other ancestry."
