Nene revisits ‘Seven Nation Army’, the White Stripes hit that became a global stadium anthem
Phuket’s Nene Royal revisits a White Stripes classic with roots in a Melbourne soundcheck and a second life as a global sporting anthem.
- Thai singer Nene Royal performed a heavy rock interpretation of "Seven Nation Army" on the America’s Got Talent final, earning a standing ovation.
- The song's iconic riff was created by Jack White during a soundcheck in Australia; he initially considered saving it for a potential James Bond theme.
- Its distinctive bass sound was not made by a bass guitar but by an electric guitar played through an effects pedal that lowered its pitch by an octave.
- The track became a global sporting anthem after football fans, beginning with supporters of Belgium's Club Brugge in 2003, started chanting the melody at matches.
Thai singer and guitarist Nene Royal gave The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’ a heavier interpretation in the America’s Got Talent (AGT) season 21 final in the United States, broadcast on September 23, 2026, Thai time. The 16-year-old from Phuket brought forceful vocals and guitar playing to a song whose journey began at an Australian soundcheck more than two decades ago.
Nene’s AGT final performance drew a standing ovation from the audience and judges. Guest judge KSI described the performance as ‘out of this world’ and ‘insane’.
Nene first attracted attention on the programme with The Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’. Her audition video exceeded 1.5 million views within 24 hours, while judge Howie Mandel praised her as a rock star. Nene subsequently performed Muse’s ‘Hysteria’ during the Judges’ Callbacks, combining singing with demanding guitar work to secure a place in the live shows.
For the final, Nene turned to a track that has become familiar far beyond rock audiences. Released in 2003, ‘Seven Nation Army’ grew from a recording by the American duo Jack and Meg White into a chant heard at sporting events worldwide.
Jack White’s Melbourne riff nearly became a Bond theme
The origins of ‘Seven Nation Army’ lie in a soundcheck at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel during The White Stripes’ Australian tour. Spring dates the moment to January 29, 2002, when singer and guitarist Jack White devised the riff and played it to Ben Swank, who would later become a Third Man Records executive. Swank’s initial response was unenthusiastic.
White considered keeping the melody for a possible James Bond theme, but decided the opportunity was unlikely to arise. In an interview with Guitar Player, White confirmed that the riff emerged at the Corner Hotel and that he had imagined it accompanying the fictional spy.
‘Seven Nation Army’ instead became the opening track and lead single from The White Stripes’ fourth album, Elephant. The album was recorded at Toe Rag Studios in London.
The song’s title came from White’s childhood mispronunciation of Salvation Army. Its lyrics concern gossip, scrutiny and the urge to escape, with a defiant narrator determined to resist the people talking behind his back. The military imagery expresses that resistance rather than describing a literal conflict between nations.
The ‘Seven Nation Army’ bass sound comes from a guitar
The low notes that drive ‘Seven Nation Army’ are often mistaken for a bass guitar. White created the sound with a Kay hollowbody electric guitar and an effects pedal that lowered its pitch by an octave. The White Stripes had no bassist: Jack handled guitar and vocals, while Meg played drums.
The original recording of ‘Seven Nation Army’ combined that low guitar figure with distorted vocals, a spare drum pattern and bursts of louder guitar. Nene’s final performance took the garage-rock arrangement in a heavier, metal direction while retaining the emphasis on guitar and drums.
‘Seven Nation Army’ wins chart success and a Grammy
Released as a single in February 2003, ‘Seven Nation Army’ reached No 1 on Billboard’s alternative chart and became The White Stripes’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. Its success helped carry the duo’s music beyond their established alternative-rock audience.
‘Seven Nation Army’ won Best Rock Song at the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004, with the songwriting award credited to Jack White. The achievement is recorded in the Recording Academy’s awards history for White.
The ‘Seven Nation Army’ music video, built around a kaleidoscopic procession of red, white and black triangles, also won Best Editing in a Video at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
Football supporters turn ‘Seven Nation Army’ into a global chant
The transformation of ‘Seven Nation Army’ into a sporting anthem is widely traced to supporters of Belgium’s Club Brugge in 2003. Fans began chanting the riff around a match against AC Milan and carried it back to Belgium, where it became part of their match-day celebrations.
The ‘Seven Nation Army’ chant subsequently spread to Italian football. By the 2006 World Cup, the melody had become an unofficial anthem for Italy’s supporters, accompanying the national team’s campaign and celebrations after winning the tournament.
The reach of ‘Seven Nation Army’ extended into American football, basketball, hockey and boxing, as well as political gatherings in Britain. Crowds could join in without knowing the song’s lyrics or speaking the same language, turning its guitar melody into a shared vocal refrain.
White has welcomed the way ‘Seven Nation Army’ has taken on a life beyond its original recording. Speaking to Radio X, the songwriter said the ability to chant the melody without words allowed it to cross language barriers and become something resembling folk music.
