The judges of “America’s Got Talent” continue to be blown away as each contestant graces the stage. In a recent episode, judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel were shocked when 10-year-old Maya Neelakantan performed Papa Roach’s hit “Last Resort” on her electric guitar. The young girl, originally from India, began the song a bit slower, paying homage to her Indian roots, before she rocked out to the heavy metal tune.
After finishing her performance, she received a standing ovation from the audience as well as all four judges. “Are you sure you’re 10 years old?” Vergara asked in awe. “Your energy, your confidence. A perfect audition. Amazing.” Howie Mandel asked the 10-year-0ld, “Who inspired you?” She responded saying, “Alex Jones from Tool and Gary Holt, the guitarist from Exodus and Slayer.” “Well, I think you just picked yourself up a viral moment,” Mandel added. Judge Heidi Klum shared her thoughts, saying “Everyone in this room loved what you just did. You should be very proud of yourself.” Simon Cowell shared his disbelief saying, “You know what I love about this audition? You just weren’t expecting this. You were so shy, and you’re 10! And then you turned into, like, this rock goddess.” He added, “That is the beginning of a career, which I always say, ‘Make noise among the noise.’ And you just did that.”
Backstage before her audition, Neelakanten was shared what inspired her and how she got into playing guitar at such a young age. She revealed that her father played the instrument as a hobby and encouraged her to teach herself how to play at the age of six. When asked what her biggest dream is, Neelakantan said, “My biggest dream is to create my own music. So, I’m just gonna go, and I’m gonna play it.”