Nene Royal Joins Linkin Park on AGT Finale Night, Then Wins Season 21

Nene Royal ended her America’s Got Talent journey with two major moments. During the live results show on September 23, 2026, the 16-year-old singer and guitarist joined Linkin Park for “The Emptiness Machine.” Before the night was over, she was announced as the winner of Season 21.

Royal began the performance on electric guitar and sang the opening lines. Emily Armstrong joined her as the song developed, and the two traded vocals with Mike Shinoda and the rest of Linkin Park performing alongside them.

The collaboration aired on Wednesday’s results show, after voting for the finalists had ended. It gave the audience one more chance to see Royal perform, though the votes determining the winner were based on the previous night’s competition.

For that final competitive appearance on September 22, Royal chose the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” Singing while playing guitar, she drove its instantly recognizable riff through a performance that captured the rock energy she had brought to the season.

Her performance with Linkin Park demanded a different approach. Rather than leading a solo number, Royal found her place within the band’s arrangement. She carried the opening verse before Armstrong entered, creating a vocal exchange that intensified with the song.

The transition from Royal’s opening lines to Armstrong’s entrance became the collaboration’s standout moment. Royal continued contributing on guitar and vocals, sharing the stage with the musicians behind the original recording.

“The Emptiness Machine” also connected Royal’s finale appearance to Linkin Park’s latest chapter. Released in September 2024, the song introduced listeners to the band’s renewed lineup and became a central track on From Zero.

By choosing a song from the band’s current era, the performance gave Royal a prominent role in material built around Shinoda and Armstrong’s voices. Her opening verse made that role clear from the start.

Throughout the competition, Royal had established herself as a rock guitarist as well as a singer. She auditioned with the Cranberries’ “Zombie,” then performed Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” in a later live round. That performance earned a Golden Buzzer from judge Mel B and carried her into the final.

Those song choices took her across distinct rock sounds, from Soundgarden’s heavier atmosphere to the White Stripes’ stripped-back riff and Linkin Park’s modern electronic elements. In each setting, she balanced lead vocals with her guitar playing.

Royal’s win also brought attention to where her musical journey began. The teenage performer from Phuket, Thailand, arrived on the American stage with a guitar-led style and finished the season at the center of its biggest broadcast.

When the final results were revealed, Royal placed ahead of runner-up Geno Ploeger. The public vote had brought together acts from different disciplines, including singers, magicians and dancers.

The two nights served different purposes. Royal’s “Seven Nation Army” performance was her final chance to win votes; her Linkin Park collaboration took place while viewers waited to learn the outcome. Together, they gave her season a striking finish.

Sharing the stage with Linkin Park offered a glimpse of Royal beyond the solo format of a talent competition. She played within an established band’s arrangement and held her own in a vocal exchange with Armstrong.

By the end of September 23, Royal had performed “The Emptiness Machine” with Linkin Park and claimed the America’s Got Talent Season 21 title. It was a fitting close to a run shaped by her voice, her guitar and her commitment to rock.