Maya Neelakantan is a metal guitar player from Chennai, India, whom one of America’s Got Talent judges praised as “The rock goddess”. This girl traveled all the way from India to participate in the audition and performed Papa Roach’s “Last Resort”, playing the guitar confidently and perfectly on stage, which impressed all the judges.
With her family cheering her on backstage, Maya’s skills and stage presence left judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel in awe, prompting a standing ovation from both judges and the audience alike.
Maya is musically adept in Carnatic music as she took to an electric guitar for the distinctive performance that left America’s Got Talent audience in awe. She kick-started softly with a traditional raga known as Carnatic Nata Bhairavi awesomely. Her presentation later transformed into playing “Last Resort” by strumming while headbanging. There was a unanimous decision by the judges to advance her to the next stage.”
Her performance captivated not only the Americans, but also Indians all over the globe, including America. She made the world believe that whenever she performed in whichever platform, it was undeniable that Maya Neelakantan possessed a typical Indian culture given that she had tied a bindi on her forehead and there were some dangly jhumkas adorning her outfit. The Indian Diaspora is proud of Maya because she did not ape American fashion to impress the judges.
Other young talents like Tiara Abraham, an Indian American, have been used in making comparisons, as Maya’s musicierher started getting involved into music when she was so tender and she got interested in hard rock when she was only five. At the age of nine, Maya becomes a Typhoon as YouTube when even Tool’s lead guitarist Adam Jones recognized her artistry and therefore gave her guitar–brand name form in 2022 because he was impressed by her performance of their fantastic song ‘7Empest’.
Maya’s viral video continues to garner millions of views and widespread acclaim on social media, sparking discussions and reactions from a captivated audience worldwide.
“You make us proud to see someone rock out while proudly wearing Indian attire. Your talent is boundless at such a young age. Truly a prodigy,” praised one viewer.
