New York: Eleven-year-old Maya Neelakantan made history on ‘America’s Got Talent’ by performing a cover of Metallica’s iconic track ‘Master Of Puppets,’ marking the first time the legendary band has ever allowed their music to be performed on the show.
The Indian-American's performance, which took place during the quarter-finals, captivated both the audience and judges.
Just before her performance, Maya shared, “I’m the first act Metallica have ever given permission to play on AGT. I really want to make Metallica proud.”
The young guitarist didn't disappoint. She put her own spin on the thrash metal classic, blending her classical Indian music background with the heavy riffs of Metallica. She tuned her electric guitar to emulate the sound of a sitar, adding a distinctive cultural twist to the metal anthem.
The judges were thoroughly impressed by Maya's performance, with Judge Simon Cowell praising, “You’re just one of these people who’s got a god-given talent… this is something you’ve got to do for the rest of your life because you’re so good at this.”
“I gotta say a big, big thank you to Metallica for giving you that song. That doesn't happen very often.”
After her performance, Maya expressed her gratitude, “It was just amazing. I'm so happy I had the honor of playing 'Master of Puppets' by Metallica for the first time on AGT. So thank you Metallica and thank you to the Cliff Burton family for making this possible.”
