At just 16 years old, guitarist Nene Royal has won America’s Got Talent Season 21, taking home the show’s $1 million grand prize after a dramatic finale.

The young musician from Thailand was announced as the winner during Wednesday night’s two-hour results show, with host Terry Crews revealing that America had voted for Royal to take the title.

Her victory came after a standout finale performance of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” during Tuesday’s episode.

Nene Royal’s Journey To The AGT Finale

Royal’s path to the finale was far from guaranteed.

The guitarist initially competed in judge Howie Mandel’s “Judges’ Callbacks” group. After performing at the Laugh Factory, Mandel selected her to advance to the Quarterfinals.

She then received a major boost when fellow judge Mel B pressed the Golden Buzzer for her, sending Royal directly to the finale.

For her final solo performance, Royal delivered a rock-inspired rendition of “Seven Nation Army,” showcasing her guitar skills in front of the AGT audience.

She also received the opportunity to perform alongside Linkin Park during the grand finale. Royal joined the rock band on stage for “The Emptiness Machine,” playing guitar during the performance.

When Terry Crews announced that America had chosen her as the winner, Royal became emotional and fell to the floor before thanking the viewers who had voted for her.

Geno Ploeger Finishes As Runner-Up

Magic was also well represented at the top of the Season 21 results.

Twenty-two-year-old magician Geno Ploeger finished in second place after reaching the finale entirely through America’s vote. Unlike Royal, Ploeger never received a Golden Buzzer from a judge or the host.

During Tuesday’s finale performance, Ploeger presented a heartfelt routine involving family photographs.

He returned for Wednesday’s show alongside AGT Season 9 winner Mat Franco, the first magician to win the competition. The pair performed a close-up magic routine together.

Hundred Fingers Takes Third Place

Magic group Hundred Fingers finished the season in third place.

After the group was eliminated, Howie Mandel followed through on a promise he had made to them during Tuesday night’s show, telling the performers that he intended to help bring their act to Las Vegas.

The final two spots in the Top 5 went to light-up dance group Royal Lasers and aerialist Veronika Goroshkova.

Royal Lasers finished in fourth place and performed with Steve Aioki during the finale, while Goroshkova took fifth and shared the stage with Josh Groban.

With her victory, Nene Royal capped her AGT journey with a $1 million prize and a finale filled with some of the biggest musical and magic performances of the season.

Source: Compiled from various sources