Nene Royal Might Be the One to Beat on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Nene Royal from Thailand got immediate attention from America’s Got Talent fans and judges at her audition, and she quickly became the most talked-about contestant in Season 21, making her a huge obstacle for other hopeful singers.

Fans Talk About Her

On America’s Got Talent, being the best singer doesn’t always win, but being the main talking point by fans counts for a lot, and on social media, her name keeps popping up, even in discussions about other performers.

During Tuesday’s live quarterfinal, Nene Royal delivered an energized version of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” that won her Mel B’s Live Golden Buzzer. According to The Sun, the buzzer “during the live shows was particularly significant because it sent Nene… straight through to the… final.”

Audience Is Hyped 

The buzzer made tons of AGT fans super excited and the audience were on their feet, but what came next showed the extent of support for the girl from Phuket,Thailand.

In the comments on America’s Got Talent on YouTube, viewer @endonutz wrote, “Sorry Thailand, Nene belongs to the world now.” The comment garnered over 300,000 likes, proving that many people are of the same opinion.

In the replies, it became obvious that AGT fans see Nene Royal as more than just a pretty face who can sing and play guitar. Another person wrote, “The World isn’t big enough for her, she belong to the universe.”

The Judges

The Golden Buzzer moment didn’t come instantly, and Mel B dragged it out as Nene stood on the stage looking a little concerned.

But Howie Mandel didn’t hold back his enthusiasm at all. He yelled out, “I know I’m not supposed to say this, but NBC, give her the million right now!”

Sofía Vergara agreed that her performance stood out, saying, “Nene, I think you could really win this competition because you can sing and play that guitar. It is insane the way you look. No wonder everybody asks me about you.”

Vergara added, “Everybody in the streets asks me about you.” That’s quite an advantage for Nene when there are still plenty of very talented people hoping to win AGT.

Mel B wasn’t as enthusiastic about the song choice and admitted that rock music “is not my vibe,” which didn’t go down well with the room. Still, she praised Nene’s “vocals, guitar playing, overall look, attitude and vibe” and gave her the Golden Buzzer.

Comparisons to Others

Earlier this season, Mel B also gave a Golden Buzzer to Army Sgt. Isaac Atkins when he sang Måneskin’s “Beggin.” It wasn’t just his performance that won over the audience, it was also the fact that he serves his country. And that could be very important for him when people start voting.

Then there are folks like Mackenzie Sol, who definitely has a following, and his backstory included performing in front of Simon Cowell as a child on The X Factor.

But when he sang Tate McRae’s “You Broke Me First” during the Quarterfinals, his performance seemed rather too crafted as he spent a lot of energy externalizing internal agony. And that just might be why he wasn’t among the three acts voted through to the Semifinals.

For now, unless things change during the Quarterfinals, Isaac still has to get through the Semifinals to go head-to-head with Nene Royal, and competition is very tight.

The Votes Matter

There might be better singers still to come, but Nene has something that’s difficult to compete with. People seem to have become invested in her, and ultimately, they are the people who vote.

The finals are scheduled for September 22-23. So Nene now has almost four weeks to sit pretty while everybody else fights their way through.

The million-dollar question isn’t whether Nene Royal can win; it’s whether anyone else can overcome the audience she’s already built.

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