Nene Royal Joins Avenged Sevenfold in Singapore for Two Songs After Solo Opening Set

A Phuket teenager takes the stage with her rock heroes

Nene Royal, the 16-year-old Thai singer and guitarist who won America's Got Talent in September, performed with Avenged Sevenfold at Singapore Indoor Stadium on October 13, 2026, singing and playing electric guitar on Bat Country and Unholy Confessions. The appearance followed her own opening set of five songs, performed without a backing band.

About 10,000 people attended the concert, described as sold out, as Avenged Sevenfold returned to Singapore for the first time in 11 years. The stadium has a stated capacity of 12,000; the attendance figure describes the audience for this particular show.

Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows said the collaboration was completely unrehearsed. Royal shared lead vocal duties and played guitar during the two songs, turning an invitation to open the concert into a chance to perform alongside the musicians whose songs she had previously covered at a night market in Phuket.

Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy and whose nickname is Praew, had described feeling both excited and scared before the Singapore appearance. Her connection to the band goes back to performances with her own group, Ozone Band, rather than beginning with her television victory.

Singapore also offered a different setting from the talent competition that brought her international recognition. Royal had half an hour to perform for an arena audience attending an established metal band's concert. Her set drew cheers, movement in the standing areas and a large singalong during The Cranberries' Zombie.

How the invitation came together

Midas Promotions and Shaw Live Entertainment announced Royal's opening slot on September 25. Although her addition became public shortly after her America's Got Talent win, Midas Promotions regional business development director Francis Hosking said the booking had already been confirmed before she won.

Hosking had known of Royal since she began performing at night markets in Phuket several years earlier. Her television audition in July, featuring Zombie, prompted him to pursue a possible collaboration.

Francis Hosking, the concert organiser's regional business development director, explained when the agreement was completed:

We had everything confirmed even before she went on to win.

Royal said managers in Singapore contacted her after hearing that she wanted to play with Avenged Sevenfold. They told her the band wanted her to support them and asked whether she would accept. For Royal, the invitation connected directly with an ambition she had already spoken about publicly.

Nene Royal, the singer and guitarist, described her reaction to the opportunity:

Yeah! Dreams come true. Incredible.

Hosking said demand for the band's Singapore concert was already exceptionally strong, while Royal's inclusion created extra interest. Royal said she was shocked to learn that some fans had bought tickets specifically to see her.

Five covers in a solo opening set

Royal's father, Narong Amloy, said before the concert that she had been given a slot lasting 30 minutes and had chosen to perform without a backing band. He said she reworked the music and prepared the performance herself.

Her opening set followed this order:

• Muse's Hysteria.
• Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun.
• Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name.
• System of a Down's I-E-A-I-A-I-O.
• The Cranberries' Zombie.

Hysteria, Black Hole Sun and Zombie also connected the Singapore performance to her America's Got Talent appearances. Listeners who discovered Royal through the competition could hear familiar songs, while the other selections brought more of her interest in heavy rock to the arena.

Royal continued through problems with her earpiece during the opening set. Performers use these devices to hear a controlled mix of the music and their own voice over the noise of a concert. Her closing performance of Zombie included a guitar solo, while audience members sang along and jumped to the music.

Two guest songs near the end of the main set

Avenged Sevenfold brought Royal back after Hail to the King, near the end of their main set. She first joined them for Bat Country, from the band's 2005 album City of Evil, then stayed for Unholy Confessions.

Royal's role combined singing with electric guitar rather than a brief appearance at the microphone. She shared lead vocal duties with M. Shadows and played guitar passages alongside the band. His description of the performance as unrehearsed added a detail to a collaboration that required the teenager to fit into an established live act.

Ozone Band had previously performed Avenged Sevenfold songs including Nightmare, A Little Piece of Heaven and So Far Away while busking at Phuket's Naka Weekend Night Market. Busking means performing in a public place, often for tips. Those smaller appearances had given Royal experience with the band's music before the Singapore invitation.

Royal's Facebook page later shared a video lasting approximately 13 minutes with the message, "Thank you very much A7X I love you". Audience recordings also circulated online, including footage posted by the YouTube accounts Tydli and Chris's Music.

What Avenged Sevenfold played in Singapore

Avenged Sevenfold's appearance formed part of their Asia Tour 2026. The band had played two sold out concerts at Thunder Dome in the Bangkok area on October 6 and 7 before travelling to Singapore.

The Singapore set contained 14 songs, opening with Nightmare and ending with Cosmic as the encore. An encore is an additional performance after the main set has finished. Royal appeared on the 11th and 12th songs, placing her contribution immediately before the band's closing stretch.

The band's song sequence was:

• Nightmare.
• Game Over.
• Afterlife.
• Shepherd of Fire.
• Buried Alive.
• The Stage.
• So Far Away.
• Gunslinger.
• Nobody.
• Hail to the King.
• Bat Country, with Nene Royal.
• Unholy Confessions, with Nene Royal.
• A Little Piece of Heaven.
• Cosmic, performed as the encore.

Avenged Sevenfold continued without Royal for A Little Piece of Heaven and Cosmic. The selection brought together established songs such as Afterlife and Gunslinger with material from their 2023 album Life Is But a Dream..., including Nobody and Cosmic.

From the television finale to the Singapore arena

Royal became the first Thai contestant to win America's Got Talent when she took the Season 21 title in September. Her final competitive performance featured The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, combining vocals and electric guitar.

At the September 23 finale, she also performed The Emptiness Machine with Linkin Park, sharing vocals with Emily Armstrong. Royal said the television team initially told her to learn the song, leading her to think she would perform it alone. Linkin Park then entered her practice room, and Mike Shinoda revealed that they would play together.

Royal said they had only a few minutes to rehearse before taking the stage. The teenager described her response to meeting the band:

I was shocked and almost fainted,

Her competition appearances also included a collaboration with The Warning. Within weeks, the Singapore booking gave her another opportunity to work with a major rock band, this time during a touring concert rather than a television programme.

Several events led up to the Singapore performance:

• September 23: Royal performed with Linkin Park at the America's Got Talent finale.
• September 25: Midas Promotions and Shaw Live Entertainment announced her Singapore opening slot.
• October 6 and 7: She met Avenged Sevenfold during their Bangkok concert visit.
• October 9: She received a royal audience with Thailand's King and Queen at Dusit Palace in Bangkok.
• October 13: She opened Avenged Sevenfold's Singapore concert and joined them for two songs.

A musical education built on small stages

Royal began playing guitar at seven, about nine years before the Singapore concert. Her introduction to music happened by chance: she wanted to enrol in a computer class at school, but it was full, so she took a music class instead.

YouTube tutorials helped her develop many of her guitar skills. Her father influenced her interest in rock, while classmates more often listened to pop, rap and R&B. Royal recalled being told that they had never seen women listen to rock music.

Nene Royal, explaining why she stayed with the music she preferred, said:

I just want to be myself because I love rock.

Her parents work in craftwork and street vending, and she is the only musician in a family that includes her younger brother. Performances with Ozone Band at the Naka Weekend Night Market gave her a regular place to practise in front of listeners.

Royal's advice to other young musicians reflected that experience. She encouraged them to develop their own style, practise frequently and accept opportunities to perform, including on small stages. Her route to Singapore connected classroom lessons, online learning and market performances with the wider audience reached through television.

Original music and schoolwork remain priorities

Royal is writing original material for a debut EP, a release that contains fewer songs than a full album. She had already released an original instrumental, Real Verse, through her social media channels in January.

Her America's Got Talent prize is valued at US$1 million and is awarded as an annuity, meaning payments are spread over time. Royal said she wanted to use the money to make music and establish a studio.

Nene Royal, discussing her plans as a singer and guitarist, said:

I just want to focus on making music, songwriting and doing tours, albums and EPs.

No release date was given for the debut EP. Her Singapore performance centred on covers, while her stated plans place writing and recording her own songs at the centre of her next work.

Royal also remains a student at Kajonkiet International School Phuket. When travel takes her away from school, she submits assignments remotely. Her Singapore visit included a radio appearance on Mediacorp's 987FM alongside preparations for the concert.

A busy October after a national first

Royal's win brought public attention at home as well as invitations abroad. She described fans waiting at the airport in Thailand for photographs and autographs, while friends told her that her performances were circulating widely on social media.

Her October 9 audience with Thailand's King and Queen followed her achievement as the country's first America's Got Talent winner. She said she wanted to represent Thailand and Asia, and hoped her progress would encourage other young musicians in the region.

Royal was also scheduled to perform at an official dinner at Government House on October 14 for international guests connected with International Monetary Fund events. Avenged Sevenfold, meanwhile, were due to continue to Australia for concerts later in October.

Singapore brought together two parts of Royal's musical life: songs she had learned and performed before becoming famous, and the chance to play them in front of an arena audience with an established band. Her next stated priority is to turn that growing audience towards music of her own.

Key Points

• Nene Royal opened Avenged Sevenfold's October 13, 2026, concert at Singapore Indoor Stadium before about 10,000 people.
• The 16-year-old Phuket musician performed five covers in a solo set lasting about 30 minutes.
• She returned to sing and play guitar on Bat Country and Unholy Confessions.
• M. Shadows said the collaboration was completely unrehearsed.
• Midas Promotions said her opening slot was confirmed before her America's Got Talent victory.
• Royal is preparing a debut EP and plans to establish a music studio.