Nandi Bushell
Nandi Bushell
Personal Life
John, her father, is British and her mother, Lungi, is South African. The couple met in Liverpool around 2003. Nandi has a brother named Thomas who is often seen on her social media posts. John commented in a 2018 interview,[22]
“She had her first toy drums from Toys R Us when she was five; and her first proper professional kit, a Sonor, for Christmas.
There can’t be many little girls whose favourite bands are rock bands like Nirvana."
She is a student and currently attends St. Margaret’s Primary School.[22]
Career
The Ellen Show
Hysteria by Muse drum cover
Nandi Bushell holds her new guitar from Tom Morello
My Rock and Roll - My First Song (Jan. 17, 2020)
Nandi on Ellen Dec. 2019)
Queens of the Stone Age - No one Knows - Drum Cover went viral (uploaded Jan. 25, 2020)
Nandi has also appeared on The Ellen Show. She was a guest on a December 2019 episode. In the interview, Nandi reveals it was her first time in the United States. She also names her inspiration for playing the drums, which all started with weekend mornings eating pancakes and listening to The Beatles,[3]
"And I saw the drum kit and Ringo Starr and he just inspired me to play the drums because I love seeing him play the drums."
When asked why she sometimes screams when she plays the drums, Nandi commented,
"Well I can be free, and I can just let everything out.
Then I get really tired and I just lay down.
Then I go back to screaming and let it all out if I'm angry.
Then I lay down."
At the end of the interview segment of the program, Nandi played drums to the Nirvana hit "In Bloom". Ellen concluded the show by presenting miss Bushell with a bass guitar.[3]
In The News
She was featured in a BBC News Online segment where she talked about the evolution of her experience, from meeting popular musicians to acting in her first advertisement. In the 2019, interview she stated,[2]
"I met Lenny Kravitz.
That was the first famous person I've met and he was really friendly."
When asked who she wanted to jam with most, Nandi said,
"So, Dave Grohl and I think I wanna jam with The Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters."
Acting Debut
Bowie Tribute
Nandi was invited to perform at the 02 Shepherds Bush Empire in London with David Bowie's band in late January of 2020.
The pianist Mike Garson of Bowie and Nine Inch Nails fame had invited young Nandi to play at the show.[5]
My Rock and Roll
My song is about being free to be myself and rock out!
Rage Against The Machine Cover
The pre-recorded performance of the 1999 Rage Against the Machine's "Guerrilla Radio" was shared to Bushell's Twitter page on March 31st, and shows her performing song on bass, guitar, and drums. The inspiration for Bushell’s viral cover was fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement: "Solidarity in the Fight to End Racism!" Bushell said with the video upload.[26]
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello sent her one of his guitars after watching her cover. "Hey Nandi, this is Tom Morello. I'd like you to have this guitar as a gift from me to you because you rock so great and to see someone rocking so great who is so young really gives me hope for the future," Morello said in a video to the young rock prodigy. "I look forward to hearing a lot more of your music in the future. You've got a lot of soul and here's a little soul power to go with it."[27]
In an Instagram post, Bushell wrote: "Dear @tommorello, thank you so so so much!
I can’t believe this is real and you actually sent me a message and your signature guitar, it is so beautiful!
AMAZING!
I hope we get to jam one day!
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!!!!!
Thank you so much for supporting me on my musical journey.
With love and respect Nandi.
Soul Power ✊🏽"[27]
John Bushell, Nandi's father, called the situation unreal and said the family is still "in shock and overwhelmed by Morello's generosity.
"It was an honor to receive a guitar from one of the greatest guitarists of all time," Nandi told CNN.
"I am so happy to help raise awareness for Black Lives Matter and help end racism!
With love and respect, equality for all."[27]
Muse Cover
On July 3, 2020, Bushell uploaded a cover of Muse's "Hysteria" on drums. "I discovered @muse this week! Yes! So so so good! I really love the rocking bass and disco beats! Loving ‘Hysteria’" she captioned a video on Instagram, which got the attention of Muse's drummer Dominic Howard. "Yes!! Excellent work @nandi_bushell⚡️" he commented on the post. "You’ve made me realise I really need to work on my stick spinning chops!! 🤘🏼🥁🤘🏼" The band also shared her cover on their own page, calling the performance "Incredible!!"[28][29]
Drum Challenge by Dave Grohl
In August 2020, the Foo Fighters frontman accepted Bushell’s challenge to cover the band’s song ‘Everlong’. “Dave Grohl, I challenge you to a drum-off,” Bushell said on her YouTube page. In the video’s description, Bushell wrote: “My dream is to one day jam with Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins and all the Foo Fighters! Mr Grohl I would love to have a drum battle with you! I LOVE Everlong it’s really hard to play as it’s so fast but so much FUN!!!”
Dave Grohl responded in a video shared to Foo Fighters’ Twitter page. “Hey @Nandi_Bushell!” he captioned the post. “Challenge accepted. Haven’t played these songs in a loooooong time…..thanks for the inspiration!!! Your move!!!” In the video, Grohl drummed his way through part of ‘Everlong’, before addressing Bushell.
“I’ve seen all your videos, I’ve seen you on TV.
You’re an incredible drummer,” he said.
“I’m really flattered that you’ve picked some of my songs to do for your videos and you’ve done them all perfectly.”
Grohl went on to set Bushell his own challenge – to nail the drum part in Them Crooked Vultures’ ‘Dead End Friends’. “Now the ball is in your court,” he told her before drumming along to the track. Bushell has responded to the challenge. In a new video posted to her YouTube channel, Bushell (dressed just like Grohl) took on ‘Dead End Friends’. The young musician imitated nearly every move the Foo Fighters frontman did in his video. “CHECKMATE!” she said, before adding: “The rock Gods are smiling upon us.”
Coldplay Cover
In October 2020, Coldplay drummer Will Champion praised Bushell after she recorded a cover of 2005 hit “Fix You”. Nandi posted a video of her cover, complete with a neon Coldplay-inspired drum kit, on Twitter and Instagram on October 10. Will replied: “This put a HUGE smile on my face, Nandi. Absolutely brilliant. Love WC X.”[30]
Cinderella Movie
In October 2020, Bushell was revealed as one of the cast members in the new Cinderella movie, which is being directed by Pitch Perfect writer Kay Cannon and produced by The Late Show host James Corden. The musical, which also stars Billy Porter, Indina Menzel and Nicholas Galitzine, is due to be released in February 2021, depending on coronavirus restrictions. Nandi was approached by the film’s director Kay Cannon on Instagram, who her father John Bushell said was keen to have the drumming star on board. “Kay said Nandi would be perfect,” explained Mr Bushell. “She has captured a lot of attention recently, with her Twitter rock battle with Dave Grohl and now starring in her first ever movie. Mr Bushell said Nandi was involved in a lot of dancing and singing and was “blown away” by the talent of pop star Camila Cabello, who she would watch singing in between filming.[31]
Social Media
On Instagram, Nandi has amassed over 482,000 followers as of July 2020. On the account, she posts videos of her rocking out to popular songs in solo performances as well as with family. She has been seen on the account jamming to songs by bands including Led Zeppelin, Rage Against the Machine, and Queens of the Stone Age. [6]