Anika Nilles says Neil Peart's widow reassured her before first Rush concert
"I got a nice message from her, a really lovely message."
Last updated 17th Aug 2026
Anika Nilles has revealed that Neil Peart’s widow Carrie Nuttall helped reassure her before her first Rush concert earlier this summer.
43-year-old German drumming sensation Anika Nilles made her Rush debut at the band’s first concert in 11 years at the Los Angeles Kia Forum on Sunday 7th June.
Despite the monumental pressure of stepping into the late-great Neil Peart’s shoes, Anika Nilles has won over Rush fans throughout the Fifty Something Tour with her truly phenomenal playing.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Anika spoke about what it was like rehearsing once she’d been hired by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.
“In each song part I had to coach myself a little bit...not to fly away,” Anika said. “That all helped not to think too much about how big that seat is and what role I’m filling in it.”
Explaining that her mantra was to “be in the moment, be present, be focused,” Anika added: “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.”
After highlighting the importance of playing “more out of muscle power”, Anika went on: “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?'”
Anika said that her nerves were settled when she got a message from Neil’s widow Carrie Nuttall before the tour opener.
"I got a nice message from her, a really lovely message,” Anika said. “It was really nice to hear that she is on board and looking forward to this whole journey.”
Rush's Fifty Something Tour hits the UK in March 2027.