Nandi Bushell Pays Tribute to “Hero” Meg White with Cover of “Seven Nation Army”

The 12-year-old drumming wunderkind Nandi Bushell paid tribute to former White Stripes drummer and personal “hero,” Meg White,” on Sunday (March 19) with a cover of the White Stripes’ mega-hit “Seven Nation Arm.”

The video comes in the wake of a recent online discussion that has included comments from Jack White (Meg’s former bandmate from 1997-2011 and ex-husband), Tom Morello, Questlove, and more.

Those comments came after writer Lachlan Markay posted a tweet dissing Meg White and her drumming.

Noting the 20th anniversary of the song “Seven Nation Army,” Markay wrote in a tweet, “The tragedy of the White Stripes is how great they would’ve been with a half-decent drummer. Yeah, yeah I’ve heard all the ‘but it’s a carefully crafted sound mannnn!’ takes. I’m sorry Meg White was terrible and no band is better for having shitty percussion.”

The comment comes despite Meg being retired. Though she is soon to become only the third woman drummer ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Wrote Bushell on her cover, which she posted to social media, “#MegWhite is my #Hero. The first day I got drums my dad showed me the video of #sevennationarmy. I saw Meg playing the drums and thought she was the coolest person in the world. I still do.”

And she added in a lengthy follow-up, “The more I learn about music, the more I realize that songs, and art, are created to wake emotions deep inside the soul. No matter how fast my fills get or number rudiments I learn. If I can’t write a song that moves people, then can’t call myself an artist.

“Meg and Jack wrote some of the best songs in #rock #history. They moved me at 5 years old to want to play the drums and still move me today! My screams are for you Meg! You are and always will be my role model and hero! Nandi”

Last week, iconic drummer Questlove of the Roots defended White—and if anyone knows drummers, it’s Questlove. “I try to leave ‘troll views’ alone but this right here is out of line af,” wrote Quest. “Actually what is wrong w music is people choking the life out of music like an Instagram filter—trying to reach a high of music perfection that doesn’t even serve the song (or music).”

Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for FF