Nandi Bushell Dedicates White Stripes Cover to ‘Role Model’ and ‘Hero’ Meg White

Nandi Bushell is adding her name to a growing list of musicians who have come to the defense of Meg White and her talent after the White Stripes’ drummer was criticized earlier in the week by a journalist in a since-deleted tweet.

On Sunday, Bushell shared a video in a Twitter thread of her covering “Seven Nation Army.” In the clip, she’s seen recently filmed performing behind a kit with a heart and the name “Meg” emblazoned on it. Later, the visual flashes back to when she was younger, drumming the tune with her dad accompanying her on guitar. “The first time I played drums I jammed Seven Nation Army. Thank you for [one of] the greatest rock songs ever! WE LOVE YOU MEG!!!” reads the text on the video.

In the caption for the post, the 12-year-old drumming phenom called White her “hero.” She added: “The first day I got drums my dad showed me the video of #sevennationarmy. I saw Meg playing drums and thought she was the coolest person in the world. I still do.”

Bushell also emphasized the importance of emotional resonance in music in her Twitter thread. “If I can’t write a song that moves people, then can’t call myself an artist,” she said.

“Meg and Jack wrote some of the best songs in #rock #history,” she continued. “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 is far from alone in her admiration of White. Meg White’s White Stripes counterpart Jack White wrote a poem in her honor following journalist Lachlan Markay’s harsh, since-deleted post, which stated, “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.” Questlove and musician Karen Elson, who married Jack White following his divorce from Meg White, also railed against Markay’s bad take.

Following the backlash that ensued, Markay has since apologized (and made his Twitter private), calling his “over-the-top” take “Petty, obnoxious, just plain wrong.”