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Anand Mahindra bowled over by ‘guitar goddess’ Maya Neelakantan on America's Got Talent. Watch

Anand Mahindra shared a clip of her performing on the show, calling her a ‘Rock Goddess from the land of Goddesses’. Watch her performance.

Published on: Jun 29, 2024, 21:35:36 IST
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After her performance on America's Got Talent, 11-year-old Indian-origin guitarist Maya Neelakantan is making waves. She was so good even the usually unimpressed Simon Cowell called her a ‘Rock Goddess’ after hearing her play Papa Roach’s Last Resort with a touch of Classical notes. (Also Read: 10-year-old girl's 'mad' guitar skills shocks people, netizens can't get enough of her. Watch)

11-year-old Maya Neelakantan from India stole the show on America's Got Talent.
11-year-old Maya Neelakantan from India stole the show on America's Got Talent.

Anand Mahindra impressed

Anand Mahindra was so impressed with her performance that he believes she should get a chance to perform at the Mahindra Blues festival in Mumbai. Sharing a clip of her performance on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Oh My God. Maya Neelakantan is only 10 years old. 10! Yes, Simon, she’s a Rock Goddess. From the land of Goddesses. We have to get her back here to do her stuff at the @mahindrablues! @jaytweetshah @vgjairam.”

Maya Neelakantan’s performance

Maya performed on America’s Got Talent episode 4 on June 25. Clips of her performance went viral immediately. “I am so grateful that I am blessed with so many amazing people guiding me all the way and have the honor of learning directly from these Guitar Gods. So Thank You All!” she wrote on her Instagram, sharing a video of her thanking everyone who helped her reach that stage.

Who is Maya Neelakantan?

Maya is is well-known on Instagram for her metal rock renditions of famous numbers by Tool, Metallica and Slayer. Originally hailing from Chennai, she performed on-stage dressed in a ghaghara and a bindi on her forehead. Simon, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel gave her a standing ovation after her performance.

Simon told her after her performance, “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.” In March, Maya received a guitar from musician Gary Holt.

  • Neeshita Nyayapati
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    Neeshita Nyayapati

    Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More

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