Nene Royal, a 16-year-old guitarist from Thailand, has won America’s Got Talent after captivating audiences with heavy rock performances. Her audition, a thrash-metal version of the Cranberries’ “Zombie”, gained 21 million views, made her a fan favourite and helped secure her the show’s million-dollar prize, making her the first Thai winner.

Throughout the competition, Royal performed songs by Soundgarden, Muse and the White Stripes before sharing the finale stage with Linkin Park. She began playing guitar aged seven, performed live in Thailand from around 12 and cites bands such as Avenged Sevenfold as influences; following her victory, she plans to make a rock album.