This 18-year-old, presently based in Los Angles in California, USA, is not your regular teenager. At such a tender age, she has already carved out her name as a composer and an ace drummer. She’s Faith Benson, who’s currently entertaining her fans on YouTube and as part of the band, Crimson Apple.
If you’re wondering how Benson got hooked to drumming, it was her drummer’s father who inspired her to try her hand at this musical equipment, when she was just 12. She watched her father play for her sister’s band. However, it wasn’t easy for her to convince him to let her play the drums, since she had issues with maintaining steady rhythm and tempo. According to her family, she was more suited for the guitar!
Seeing the persistence of this motivated teenager and her hard work, her father allowed her to become a drummer. She started with short group lessons and continued to practice. Her determination to improve and be the best is what led her to what she’s today. It didn’t come as a surprise when she became the under 18 Grand Champion of the Hit Like A Girl contest. The following year, she became the judge in this contest.
Besides her father, Benson’s favorite drummer is Anika Nilles. This is what she has to say about her on drummagazine.com, “The way she writes and composes her own music in different feels and time signatures is really inspiring to me. She’s a total beast!”
Benson’s daily routine comprises warming up early in the morning and practicing with a metronome. She takes the help of her instructor, Arin Ilejay, to work on her lessons and also rehearses with her band. She plays on a Yamaha Maple Tour Custom kit and uses TRX cymbals and stick. express sticks. What’s more, she’s also endorsed by these brands. She also enjoys writing and composing her own tracks for YouTube.
Benson enjoys a following of over 293,000 fans on Instagram alone and is also at faithdrums on YouTube and at Crystal Apple. And do you know what her favorite quote is, it’s by Terence Fletcher, “Not quite my tempo”.
Faith Benson
