AGT Season 21 Winner: Nene Royal Lifts the Trophy, Geno Ploeger is Runner-Up

America’s Got Talent crowned its Season 21 winner on 23rd September 2026, and it went to a name most of the world had never heard three months ago. Nene Royal, a 16 year old self-taught guitarist from Phuket, Thailand, beat out magician Geno Ploeger in the finale to become the first-ever Thai contestant to win the show, taking home the $1 million grand prize.

Who is Nene Royal

Nene Royal’s real name is Rattikarn Amloy, and she is still a Grade 11 student back home in Phuket. She taught herself guitar largely through online videos rather than formal training, building her skills as a street performer before AGT ever came calling. That self-taught, homegrown story is a big part of why her win has resonated so widely, both in Thailand and with the show’s global audience.

Her AGT run wasn’t a quiet one. Judge Mel B hit the Golden Buzzer for her during the audition round, sending her straight through to the live shows, and she carried that early momentum all the way to the final. For her grand final performance, she delivered a rock-heavy cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”, and also shared the finale stage in a guest collaboration with Linkin Park on “The Emptiness Machine”.

The Final Results

Season 21 was judged by Howie Mandel, Mel B, Sofía Vergara and Simon Cowell, with Terry Crews hosting, and ran from 2nd June to 23rd September 2026.

Does Nene Royal Actually Get $1 Million?

Not quite in the way it sounds. AGT’s grand prize is structured as a financial annuity, paid out at $25,000 a year over 40 years, rather than handed over as a single lump sum. Winners do have the option to instead take a reduced cash payout upfront if they prefer the money sooner rather than spread out, which is the same structure past AGT champions have had to navigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Who won America’s Got Talent Season 21?
Nene Royal, a 16 year old guitarist from Phuket, Thailand, won AGT Season 21 on 23rd September 2026.

Q2: How old is Nene Royal?
She is 16 years old, born on 14th March 2010.

Q3: Who gave Nene Royal the Golden Buzzer?
Judge Mel B pressed the Golden Buzzer for her during the audition round.

Q4: What song did Nene Royal sing in the AGT final?
She performed a cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”.

Q5: Who was the runner-up on AGT Season 21?
Magician Geno Ploeger, from Hartland, Wisconsin, finished as runner-up.

Q6: Does the AGT winner really get $1 million cash?
Not upfront. The prize is paid as a $25,000-a-year annuity over 40 years, unless the winner chooses a reduced lump-sum payout instead.