Nene Royal named Best New International Artiste in Ireland
Thai teenage rocker Nene Royal has been selected for the Best New International Artiste 2026 award in Dublin, extending her rise after America’s Got Talent.
- Thai teenage musician Nene Royal has been named the Best New International Artiste 2026 by The Phil Lynott Convention in Ireland.
- The award recognizes the 16-year-old's potential as an emerging international performer, following her breakthrough on America’s Got Talent Season 21.
- The honor is a special award presented at the Dublin event celebrating the legacy of Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott to encourage a new generation of rock artists.
Thai teenage singer-guitarist Nene Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amloy, has been selected to receive the Best New International Artiste 2026 award at The Phil Lynott Convention in Ireland, marking another milestone in the 16-year-old Phuket musician’s growing international career.
The recognition follows her breakthrough appearances on America’s Got Talent Season 21, where her powerful vocals and guitar performances brought her international attention and secured her a place in the competition’s Live Shows.
Nene has officially been named as this year’s recipient ahead of the award presentation at the Button Factory in Temple Bar, Dublin, on Saturday (August 22). The Phil Lynott Convention is scheduled to run from 6pm to 10.30pm local time.
The event celebrates the music and legacy of Phil Lynott, the singer and bassist of Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. This year’s convention also marks the 40th anniversary of Lynott’s death.
Organisers have introduced only two special awards for the 2026 event. The Best New International Artiste 2026 honour goes to Nene in recognition of her potential as an emerging international performer, while the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award for longstanding contributions to Irish music is being kept under wraps as a surprise for the event.
The Best New International Artiste award is a special honour presented by The Phil Lynott Convention to recognise promising young performers and encourage a new generation of artists in rock music.
From Phuket busking to an international stage
Nene began teaching herself to play guitar when she was about six or seven years old and developed her live-performance skills by busking at markets in Phuket.
Her profile rose sharply after she appeared on America’s Got Talent, first performing a rock-driven version of “Zombie” by The Cranberries and later taking on “Hysteria” by Muse during the Judges’ Callbacks.
The performances attracted widespread attention and helped her advance to the Live Shows, taking the Phuket teenager from local market performances to one of the world’s best-known televised talent competitions.
Her selection for the Dublin award marks another international achievement as she continues to build her music career and develop her own music for audiences beyond Thailand.
