Talent can appear at any point in a person’s life. Some find their calling, or hidden ability, well on into their lives, and others are blessed with the ability to perform exceptionally well in something from a very young age. In ten-year-old Johanne Astrid’s case, it was the former. This young drumming prodigy wowed judges at 2017’s Denmark’s Got Talent with her drumming skills and went on to win the competition.
Throughout her time on Denmark’s Got Talent, Johanne’s dedication to the drums was crystal clear. From her mixed-song audition to her incredible Grand Final performance, she demonstrated with each beat that she was truly born with a talent, and will go far in the years to come. Watch a compilation of her performances on Denmark’s Got Talent in the video below:
Even though she won the competition with her excellent playthrough of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” is what impressed many the most. Johanne’s ability to keep a steady rhythm to a complicated drum routine, complete with ghost notes, is something that many aspiring adult drummers wish they could do, and yet Johanne manages it with ease as she flies through the Danish competition.
“Whole Lotta Love” is one of the most iconic songs from the late great British rock band Led Zeppelin, who helped shape the newer wave of rock music that was forming in the mid-1960s. Their complex rhythms and catchy grooves became a sensation, and drummer John Bonham played a large role in their influential movement. Listen to the original “Whole Lotta Love” below, and you’ll see why Johanne notes him as one of her drumming inspirations:
Throughout her time on Denmark’s Got Talent, Johanne Astrid performed a respectable amount of legendary rock songs, alongside some more local hits. Amongst her performances was Rage Against The Machine’s iconic stomp “Killing In The Name Of”, and D-A-D’s “Bad Craziness”, which she played in the final performance alongside a full band. These kinds of feats are impressive at any age, but even more so at just ten years old!
Since winning the 250,000 krone prize, young Johanne has experienced a surge in recognition and has even continued to perform since. In an interview, she thanked her parents for introducing her to the drums; despite pushing her to play in the first year of playing, she has been self-driven since and has clearly found her passion.
In the interview, Johanne also mentions that since Denmark’s Got Talent, she has been performing at concerts of various sizes in several bands around the country. So far, the most concerts she has performed in one week is four, which is incredible for a young person who is still attending school in between rocking out in the evenings for large crowds.
We wish Johanne all the best in her future endeavors. From her performances in Denmark’s Got Talent and her dedication to drumming to her attitude towards the importance of ‘practice, practice, practice’, this young drummer has an incredible future ahead of her. If you would like to see more from Johanne Astrid, you can follow her on Facebook.