There are countless talented musicians in the world, but only a few can truly be called prodigies — and Nandi Bushell is one of them. At just eleven years old, she managed to out-drum Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl in a viral drum battle that captured hearts around the world.
Born in South Africa, Nandi moved to Ipswich, UK, with her parents as a baby. Her love for music began at the age of five when her father showed her a video of The Beatles performing Hey Jude. While most kids might have been mesmerized by John Lennon or Paul McCartney, Nandi was fixated on Ringo Starr’s drumming — and from that moment, she knew what she wanted to do.
A few weeks later, her parents rewarded her good school grades with her first drum kit, and Nandi immediately began learning to play alongside her dad. Within a year, her parents helped her upload her drumming videos to YouTube, and her raw talent quickly caught the internet’s attention. Soon, she was appearing in John Lewis commercials, performing with Lenny Kravitz, and even being invited as a guest on The Ellen Show.
But Nandi wasn’t stopping there. In 2020, she boldly challenged Dave Grohl, the legendary drummer of Nirvana and frontman of Foo Fighters, to a drum battle. She posted a confident message online: “Dave Grohl, I challenge you to a drum-off!” To everyone’s delight, Dave accepted — and an epic musical showdown began.
The two went head-to-head performing Everlong by Foo Fighters, and in a gracious moment, Grohl admitted defeat, calling Nandi his “number one super girl” and even “the best drummer in the world.” But he wasn’t done yet — he invited her to join the Foo Fighters live on stage in Los Angeles for a second round.
Performing live with one of the biggest rock bands in the world could have been intimidating for anyone, but Nandi owned the stage with incredible energy and confidence. She played flawlessly, smiling and radiating joy through every beat. Later, she called the experience “epic and the best night ever.”
Nandi Bushell’s story is one of pure talent, courage, and joy — a reminder that age doesn’t define greatness. To see more of her incredible performances, check out her YouTube channel, or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
