Berliner Abendpost - Thai teen rocker Nene aims to tour, write music... and return to school

The 16-year-old, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, took home the $1 million prize as winner of "America's Got Talent" this month, after wowing judges and viewers with blistering guitar solos and rock ballad shrieks.

Hailing from the Thai island of Phuket, she has become a national figure in the Southeast Asian nation since entering the US competition.

"My plan is... writing my own songs, you know, and also making some tours, and also go back to school," Nene told AFP after a performance at a Yamaha music showroom in Bangkok.

The teen singer and guitarist said she was "shocked" and "fainted", dropping to the stage floor, when she was announced the champion on September 23.

Next month, she is set to open for US band Avenged Sevenfold in Singapore, after playing with Linkin Park in the final episode of "America's Got Talent".

Videos of her televised renditions of alternative rock classics such as "Zombie" by The Cranberries and "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden had gone viral in Thailand and beyond.

She performed both songs on Wednesday with her backing Ozone Band -- three teen performers who matched Nene's chops on bass guitar, keyboard and drums.

Asked about her band after the gig, Nene said: "I really missed them, because they're kind of like my brothers."

The boys travelled to California while she filmed "America's Got Talent" to cheer her on, she said.

"They're always supporting me."

Nene, who says she started playing guitar at age seven and learned mostly by watching online videos, earned a music scholarship to a private international school.

In July, she played alongside Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who congratulated her win and praised her talent and dedication, saying it "brought pride to Thai people".

Appreciative of the outpouring of support from Thai fans, Nene said she did not expect the raucous homecoming.

"When I went back to Thailand, everyone went crazy," she said.

L.Klein--BlnAP