Maya Neelakantan’s audition on the 19th season of America’s Got Talent was nothing short of legendary! The 10-year-old guitarist from India wowed the judges and earned the title of “Rock Goddess” from Simon Cowell. Her performance quickly went viral, racking up over 1 million views in just one day!
Maya stepped onto the AGT stage dressed in a beautiful peach-pink traditional Indian outfit. At first, it looked like she was about to perform something soft and classical. She began playing an intricate Indian Carnatic riff on her guitar, making it sound almost like a sitar. The audience was mesmerized by the magical sound.
But then—BOOM! Maya shocked everyone by headbanging and launching into the heavy riff of Last Resort by Papa Roach. The crowd erupted in cheers as she transformed from a delicate classical musician into a full-blown rock star! Her fingers flew across the fretboard as she nailed every note. Then came the solo—a mind-blowing, face-melting guitar shred that left everyone in awe. Not a single note was off.
The judges couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Sofia Vergara’s jaw dropped as she turned to her fellow judges. Howie Mandel was so hyped he started banging his fists on the table in time with the music! Meanwhile, Maya’s parents and younger sibling stood on the sidelines, their eyes shining with pride (and maybe a few happy tears).
When the song ended, the crowd went wild. Sofia was the first to speak, calling Maya’s performance “a perfect audition.” Howie, curious about what inspired Maya’s love for metal, asked her about her favorite musicians. Maya proudly named Adam Jones from TOOL and Gary Holt from Exodus and Slayer as her biggest inspirations.
Simon Cowell, still amazed, shared a funny story about how he once tried to learn guitar at Maya’s age—but totally failed! Unlike Simon, Maya had just crushed her audition like a true rock legend. The judges didn’t even need to think twice—she got four out of four “YES” votes, sending her straight to the next round!
But Maya’s story doesn’t end there. Her Instagram is proof that she’s been rocking out long before AGT. Since 2022, she’s been posting heavy metal covers, impressing fans worldwide. Her trip to the U.S. in 2024 has been a dream come true. She’s met some of the biggest names in metal, including Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick of Testament and Danny Carey of TOOL. And get this—Gary Holt from Exodus and Slayer even gave her a signed guitar!
As if that wasn’t cool enough, Maya is a huge fan of Gibson guitars—the top-tier brand for rock and metal players. She even got to jam with Gibson’s CEO, Cesar Gueikian, at the famous Gibson Garage in Nashville. How many kids can say that?
Maya Neelakantan is living the dream that most metal musicians can only imagine. If you want to hear more of her epic guitar skills, you can subscribe to her YouTube channel or follow her on Instagram. This rockstar-in-the-making is just getting started!
What do you think of Maya’s performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
