More and more musicians are coming to the defense of the White Stripes‘ Meg White, whose drumming skills were criticized earlier this week in a harsh, since-deleted tweet from journalist Lachlan Markay. The latest supporter is 12-year-old talent Nandi Bushell, who has released a new cover video of “Seven Nation Army” and dedicated it to White, who Bushell calls her “hero.”
The video features a montage of Bushell in the present day pounding away at a drum kit decorated with hearts and “Meg,” as well as some throwback footage of her as a young child playing the song for the first time alongside her father on guitar. “Thank you for the greatest rock songs ever,” reads superimposed text on the video. “WE LOVE YOU MEG!!!”
In the caption to her Twitter post, Bushell gushes even more about the influence White has had on her: “#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.”
#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. pic.twitter.com/i8AoSHV2OC
— Nandi Bushell (@Nandi_Bushell) March 19, 2023
She goes on to add more detail in the Twitter thread, “The more I learn about music, the more I realise 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!”
Bushell fan Tom Morello also posted his support of White to Instagram today (March 18), saying in part, “I hear there’s some controversy on this matter lately so let me set fools straight: #MegWhite is one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock n roll. It’s not even a debate.”
Questlove, Laura Jane Grace, Karen Elson, and Jack White himself (in the form of a poem) have also shown support for Meg in recent days. Markay has since apologized for what he calls his “petty, obnoxious, just plain wrong” statements.
Bushell’s cover of “Seven Nation Army” is the latest in a series of videos she has released on her social media feeds, with the musician recently offering jazzy takes on Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” and New Orleans Rhythm Kings’ “Tin Roof Blues.”
In SPIN’s September feature, Bushell also discussed working on original music, set for release this year.
