Thai teenage rocker Nene Royal says she is 100% confident ahead of the America’s Got Talent (AGT) final, after stepping up her training to about four hours a day and setting her sights on winning the competition.
“I’m still practising every day, from around 5pm until 9.30pm, to prepare myself as well as possible for this important round,” she said.
She gave the interview on September 12 after performing with her band, Ozone, at Royal Chaofah Market in Phuket, before flying to Los Angeles for the AGT final.
The market where Nene began busking at a young age was packed with Thai and foreign fans who turned out to watch her perform and cheer her on ahead of the final.
Nene said that after AGT, she plans to continue working on music and creating new material, with her long-term goal of becoming a global artist and touring internationally.
“I want to go on a world tour. That’s my goal,” she said.
Asked when fans could expect new music following the competition, she replied: “Soon.”
The 16-year-old Phuket guitarist performed The Cranberries’ “Zombie” with vocals and guitar during her AGT audition in September.
All four judges voted “yes”, sending her through to the next round.
Her audition attracted international attention and became one of the season’s most-watched performances.
At the Judges’ Callbacks, Nene performed Muse’s “Hysteria”, securing a place among the acts selected for the live shows.
She then performed Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” in the live quarterfinals. Judge Mel B pressed the Golden Buzzer after the performance, sending her directly to the final and bypassing the subsequent semi-final stage.
The final will take place on September 22 in the US.
Nene said she is deeply grateful for the support she has received from fans around the world, including those who bought tickets to watch her performances and those who have supported her throughout the competition.
“Thank you for supporting me. I want to produce my best work in the final round of AGT,” she said.
She also called on fans worldwide to vote for her in the final, saying that the winner would be decided by the public vote.
“I want to tell all my fans around the world that I’ll give it my all. For this final round, I only ask that everyone please vote for me. My name on the account is Nene Royal,” she said.
Asked about her confidence ahead of the final, Nene replied: “100%.”
She said her confidence comes from the intensive preparation she has put in for the competition, adding that she always focuses on giving her best whenever she steps onto the stage.
Nene and her family were welcomed by scores of Thais carrying placards when they arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) yesterday.
