Two weeks out from this year's Rock 2000, a young guitarist has absolutely shredded a cover of 2023's winning tune - 'Master of Puppets'.
At just 11 years old, Maya Neelakantan already went viral last month when she auditioned for 'America's Got Talent' with a cover of Papa Roach's 'Last Resort', but she may have just topped her last performance.
Maya dominated the stage with her rendition, playing a Silver Flying V gifted to her by Gibson Guitars.
She incorporated Indian Carnatic elements into her rendition before ripping into one of the most technically challenging songs ever, all with a smile on her face.
The crowd went wild, with plenty of head banging and signs of the horns seen in the audience. Maya even scored herself a standing ovation from the judges after her epic performance
Simon Cowell commented “I think you’re one of those people who have a God-given talent”, while Howie Mandal added: “that was like Van Halen reincarnated”.
The young guitarist has already built up an incredible list of mentors, including Exodus’ guitarist Gary Holt and Tool’s Adam Jones, who gifted Maya with the signed Gibson Signature Guitar she used in her first audition.
Maya made sure she gave a special shout-out to Metallica and the family of the band’s late bassist, Cliff Burton, for clearing the song for her to play on the AGT stage.
“I’ve got to give a big, big thank you to Metallica for giving you that song," Simon said.
You know, that doesn't happen very often
As one of the most epic rock songs of all time, it's no wonder ‘Master of Puppets’ has been a mainstay in the Rock 2000, winning the countdown twice in both 2016 and 2023. The tune shot back up the charts again in 2022 after featuring on 'Stranger Things' and reigniting the world's love of the track.
We can't wait to see what song Maya chooses next - but it's clear she's one to watch.
