Phenom who challenged Dave Grohl to drum-off sat in with the band in L.A.

Nandi Bushell, who captivated a corner of the internet in 2020 by drum battling Dave Grohl on YouTube, hopped behind a kit with her idol and the rest of the Foo Fighters to perform “Everlong” at the Forum in Los Angeles Thursday, August 26th.

“This person inspired me last year so much,” Grohl told the crowd before bringing Bushell onstage. He also called her “the most badass drummer in the world,” and the audience erupted into chants — “Nandi! Nandi!” — before Bushell even sat behind her kit. Once Grohl started playing the surging riffs that lead “Everlong,” Bushell twirled her stick high above her head and began to tap out the racing beat on cymbals that sent the song barreling forward.

Her father filmed her performance and posted it on YouTube for Bushell’s 299,000 subscribers. “It Happened!!!” she wrote. “It was EPIC!!!”

Bushell’s drum covers had already earned notice from Tom Morello, Questlove, and Lenny Kravitz before she posted her rendition of “Everlong” on YouTube in August of 2020. “Dave Grohl, I challenge you to a drum-off,” she declared. Grohl was game, and soon he and Bushell started sending videos back and forth. Grohl also wrote a song for Bushell that dubbed her “number one super girl.”

“A rock legend has been inspired by me. That is amazing,” Bushell told Rolling Stone earlier this year. “I’m inspired by [Grohl], so the fact that he’s inspired by me … speechless.”

Monaleo has steadily built a strong connection with listeners over the past few years. She is an MC known for sharp lyricism and a high level of energy that shows up on every record. 2026 is shaping up to be an important year for her, with growing speculation that a larger project may be coming soon. That idea feels even more likely with the arrival of her latest release, “Crossroads Freestyle.” The brief, one minute track landed on YouTube on Tuesday and has already been getting a lot of positive reactions. Once again, Monaleo leans into her confidence, delivering tight verses over a smooth, consistent beat. It is a solid release that fans will definitely want to tap into.

Release Date: April 14, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

Quotable Lyrics from Crossroads Freestyle

Getting cake by the pound, I'm greater than britain
I'm greater than Alex on top like a attic (Uh-uh)
You pushing for Clipse I'm peeping a Malice
But fear ain't a factor I'm up for the challenge
The queen of my palace from Houston, not Dallas

 

 
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