It’s not often when an America’s Got Talent audition makes your jaw drop before it even starts.
But when Maya Neelakantan stepped on stage and revealed she was only 10 years old, the audience was stunned.
Her outfit, her hair, her talent, it all screamed wise beyond her years.
And when she begun strumming her electric guitar, it was clear, Maya is an “original.” Just watch:
After nailing Last Resort by Papa Roach, Maya received a standing ovation, including all four judges.
Judge Heidi Klum praised Maya telling her she “should be very proud of yourself,” while Judge Sofia Vergara asked if she was “sure” she’s just 10 years old.
“You just earned yourself a viral moment,” Judge Howie Mandel told Maya before Simon raved how impressive it was to watch someone so young be so masterful at one of the more difficult instruments to learn.
“You know what I love about this audition, you just weren’t expecting this. You were so shy,” Simon said, “and your 10. And then you turned into this like rock goddess.”
“I always say, ‘make noise amongst the noise,’ and you just did that.”
@mayaneelakantan It’s Official! AGT episode on June 25th – Mark this date! I’m going to be on America’s Got Talent Episode 4 next week on Tuesday June 25th. You can see me on NBC channel at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (5:00 PM Pacific Time Zone). If you miss the live telecast, you can find my episode on the PeacockTV App the next day and I will also post my segment here on my profile as well. I’m very excited for this! It’s going to be a fun week! Yay! @America’s Got Talent @AGTAuditions #agt #agtauditions #americasgottalent #mayaneelakantan
♬ original sound – Maya Neelakantan
After her audition quickly went viral, Maya took to Tiktok to say thank you. “Thank you so much! It was such an honor to play on a stage like America’s Got Talent! And that too for my first ever stage performance. Such a special memory to keep!”