For 10-year-old viral sensation Nandi Bushell, 2020 was her year. It saw her raft of YouTube music covers – including her stomping renditions of Rage Against the Machine's Guerrilla Radio and Audioslave's Cochise – gain mainstream media attention, including that of Tom Morello – who even gifted her his signature Soul Power Strat.
Bushell's exploits also turned the head of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl – with whom she took part – and ultimately triumphed – in a drum battle of epic proportions.
And now, the Ipswich schoolgirl by day, certified rockstar by night turns her sights to Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Celebrating the icon's birthday (January 9), she has released a killer, all-looped cover of one of the band's heaviest tunes, Immigrant Song.
The production value on this one is second to none – the rock 'n' roll wunderkind dons a cape in front of an ominous cloud-covered backdrop while she loops every single one of the track's instrumental elements.
After all are layered, she wields what appears to be Thor's hammer to whack her drum sampler, introducing Robert Plant's legendary 'Ah-ah-ahhhhhhhhh-ahh' wail.
“The first time I heard the Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin was in the movie School Of Rock, when Jack Black was driving the van, turns around and screams ‘ahh-aah’!” Bushell says. “Best movie ever! John Bonham and his son Jason Bonham are both incredible drummers. John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, you guys are so awesome too!
“Led Zeppelin are so so so good! Hope you guys love my loop I made for you. Happy Birthday Jimmy Page!”
She has the star factor that the stars themselves can't ignore, but will her latest cover be noticed by one of the guitar world's most iconic names? Only time will tell…
