Rush's New Drummer Anika Nilles Wins Over Even The Band's Most Loyal Fans: 'Can Clearly Do It All'

When Rush drummer Neil Peart, one of the most legendary drummers in the history of rock, died from brain cancer in 2020, fans not only mourned his loss but wondered if Rush would ever tour again. There was always something special about the three-piece Canadian outfit, in a hard-to-define, cooly nerdy way, and something equally captivating about Peart's incredibly intricate, creative, and explosive drum arrangements (and lyrics, let's not forget). Lo and behold, Rush announced in 2025 that the band would be touring again, this time with German drummer Anika Nilles behind the kit. She's blown everyone away, as she "can clearly do it all," one fan on Reddit writes.  

Stepping into Peart's shoes is like stepping into the soles of a titan. He was often called a genius and dubbed "The Professor," and playing even one of his songs, like "2112" (Rush's most-played song in concert), is a brain-busting challenge. But playing Rush's entire "Fifty Something" tour with legends Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, where every show is between two and a half and three hours long, all the way from June 2026 to April 2027, starting off not knowing how to play any of Rush's songs? This kind of pressure is beyond belief, which is why guitarist Michael Palmisano on YouTube accurately calls Anika Nilles' new role with Rush "the most scrutinized drum gig of all time."

But he and everyone else are in agreement, both professionals and those who know nothing about music: Nilles is crushing it. She's won over even the most loyal fans not just because her playing is spot-on, but because of her humility.  

As far back as 2015, Anika Nilles was giving lessons on the YouTube drumming channel Drumeo about building 16th-note quintuplets (five beats to a quarter note) into her playing. Don't know what that is? Exactly. Nilles is an expert, right down to her extremely customized, unconventional drum kit that allows her to compose interwoven, melodic drum parts into songs (as she explained in an interview with Rick Beato on YouTube). She changed this kit around for Rush to accommodate Neil Peart's drum parts, repositioning drums before learning a cavalcade of hits. This level of expertise ought to spell out the case for Nilles. As Rush bassist, singer, and keyboardist Geddy Lee told Beato in another interview on YouTube, he never really even considered anybody else.  

Nilles developed her chops as an educator and solo artist, and by touring with Jeff Beck. She's excelled on every front, releasing her first solo album, "Pikalar," in 2017, teaching drum clinics and masterclasses, writing for drumming magazines – you name it. When Rush reached out to her via Lee's bass tech, John "Scully" McIntosh, Nilles was awed and disbelieving but went in to rehearse with Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson, who both had to dig into their catalog to relearn their own songs. Bit by bit, they all bonded and got to the point where they just love playing together, as Lifeson told Beato.

At this point, Nilles' stellar performance at Rush's initial shows has all but cinched her career and legacy. If there are any naysayers left in the crowd, it's time they gave up and admitted that she can do it.

Some fans will never be satisfied with any Rush drummer but Neil Peart, no matter that the alternative means never hearing Rush play live again. But as Geddy Lee told Rick Beato on YouTube, Anika Nilles isn't only technically proficient enough to learn Peart's parts, but she approaches them with respect because she "understands and appreciates [Peart's] greatness." She's not acting out of ego, and frankly, astute fans can sense this by watching her play. It's all about the music and giving Rush's songs another go (though hopefully not the last one).

Case in point: Nilles classily took to Instagram to announce her gig, saying with graciousness and humility, "I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Geddy and Alex for their trust and for welcoming me on this incredible new journey with @rush. I also don't want to miss the chance to warmly welcome all the new faces here and to thank you for your kind and open-minded words — they truly mean a lot." This is the precise type of attitude that ought to allow Rush fans to accept Nilles into the fold. Nilles isn't trying to replace Peart, but just do her part. 

Not that there's a lot of grumbling and cantankerous diehards left, even if Rush fans are known to be a bit persnickety (not all of them, but many). Seeing video footage of Nilles on stage, ripping through hits like "YYZ," "Tom Sawyer," and "Subdivisions," and seeing Lee and Alex Lifeson happy and bouncing around stage, has left some fans in tears. Much of the grumbling, it turns out, was leftover mourning for Peart and fear that the old magic could never return. Fear no more.