Dave Grohl Accepts Nandi Bushell's Drum Battle Challenge: 'You're an Incredible Drummer'
How could Dave Grohl say no?
On Saturday, the Foo Fighters frontman, 51, accepted 10-year-old drummer Nandi Bushell's challenge to a drum battle!
Just a few weeks ago, Bushell — who posts covers of recognized bands on her YouTube — shared a video of herself playing along to Foo Fighters' "Everlong" and shared a clip of her cover to Twitter with a special message to Grohl and the band.
"My dream is to one day jam with Dave Grohl, @taylorhawkins and all the @foofighters!" she wrote on Twitter. "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!"
My dream is to one day jam with Dave Grohl, @taylorhawkins and all the @foofighters! 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! #foofighters pic.twitter.com/Pmdhvl57uu
— Nandi Bushell (@Nandi_Bushell) August 17, 2020
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The tweet from the young drummer soon went viral, garnering more than two million views and 32,000 retweets. Nearly two weeks later, the Grammy Award winner accepted the drumming protégé's challenge.
"I haven't played that song since the day I've recorded it in 1997," says Grohl in his response after playing a part of "Everlong." "Nandi, in the last week, I've gotten at least 100 texts from people all over the world saying, 'This girl is challenging you to a drumoff. What are you going to do?'"
"You're an incredible drummer," he adds. "And I'm really flattered that you've picked some of my songs to do for your videos and you've done them all perfectly."
Hey @Nandi_Bushell!
Challenge accepted.
Haven’t played these songs in a loooooong time.....thanks for the inspiration!!!
Your move!!!
Your friend in rock,
Dave
(Thanks to my daughter, Harper for letting me borrow her drum set) pic.twitter.com/Ytq47CcZRC— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) August 29, 2020
Grohl then challenges Bushell to play "Dead End Friends" by Them Crooked Vultures — the superband comprising Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and Grohl on drums.
"Now the ball is on your court," he says as he starts to play the track on his 11-year-old daughter Harper's drumset.
"Your friend in rock," Grohl signs off the tweet.
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Bushell watched Grohl's video with a smile from ear-to-ear — and posted her reaction to Twitter and YouTube.
"Epic! That was awesome," Bushell says before dancing around and giving her dad (who's recording the clip) a hug. "I'm going to checkmate you. Thank you so much."
This is UNREAL! I can’t believe Dave Grohl actually accepted my drum battle, Thank you! Now it’s my turn to learn ‘dead end friends’ by @crookedvultures! I am going to checkmate this one too! Thank you Harper for lending your Dad the kit! @foofighters #davegrohl #foofighters pic.twitter.com/gAyoVYSySM
— Nandi Bushell (@Nandi_Bushell) August 29, 2020
The young star has posted videos not only performing on the drums but also both bass and electric guitar. She's appeared on various TV shows in her native England and in the U.S. including on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2019 and most recently on CBS This Morning.
"On Saturdays and Sundays, we'd make pancakes and I'd listen to the Beatles and I saw the drum kit and Ringo Starr and he just inspired me to play the drums because I loved seeing him playing the drums," she told DeGeneres last year.
Nandi has been drumming for years, even though she’s only 9. I adore this young girl. pic.twitter.com/K5dl3yuS39
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) December 9, 2019
Bushell has met artists such as Questlove of The Roots and has jammed out with Lenny Kravitz at the O2 Arena in London. She's even gotten recent shoutouts from Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Rage Against the Machine's Thomas Morello and even Janet Jackson.
Jackson shared a video of Bushell with a simple hashtag, "#BlackGirlMagic."