Anika Nilles Finds Confidence Joining Rush After Support from Neil Peart's Widow

Rush's new drummer, Anika Nilles, said a message from Neil Peart's widow helped her settle nerves before her debut with the band.

Nilles, a German musician, auditioned for five days before Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson chose her to join Rush on drums for their Fifty Something tour. She told Rolling Stone that learning to fit into the songs was one challenge, but an even bigger task was blocking out thoughts of Peart.

"In each song part I had to coach myself a little bit... not to fly away," Nilles said of the intense rehearsals after being hired. "That all helped not to think too much about how big that seat is and what role I'm filling in it." Her approach, she said, was to "be in the moment, be present, be focused."

Nilles said it took time to understand what was expected. "I wasn't sure if I should prep every little detail, or to have the main parts down, but have some freedom here and there," she said.

As she studied Peart's drumming, she realized she needed to adjust her own style. Instead of relying on stick control, she began lifting weights to build muscle for a more direct playing approach. "I have to play more out of muscle power," she said.

Nilles said Peart's compositional style influenced her most. "Now, I have a little bit of Neil in me. What I learned for myself the most is the compositional part. He was brilliant in that, really. He constantly builds, and builds, and builds the drum part to a point where you think, 'What the hell is going on?'"

Her confidence grew after Peart's widow, Carrie Nuttall, reached out before the first show. "I got a nice message from her, a really lovely message," Nilles said. "It was really nice to hear that she is on board and looking forward to this whole journey."

As the Fifty Something tour continues, Nilles said she feels "really energized, and relieved." Asked what she told herself after her first shows, she laughed: "I made it through!"