Drummer Anika Nilles has revealed that she received a supportive message from Neil Peart’s widow before her first shows with Rush, telling Rolling Stone that the late drummer’s family is fully behind her.
Nilles was asked about Peart’s widow Carrie and his daughter Olivia, who attended her opening performances.
Question: “Carrie and Olivia, Neil’s widow and his daughter, were at the first two shows. Did they want to meet you?”
“I got a nice message from [Carrie],” Nilles said. “Really lovely message. Before the show, actually. Yeah, that was really nice to hear that she is on board and looking forward to this whole journey and how it turns out. This was really nice and lovely.”
Nilles was speaking about her new role with the legendary rock band as she prepares to play the songs of the Rush drummer who passed away in 2020.
Neil Peart died on January 7, 2020, at age 67 from brain cancer. He had been battling the disease for three-and-a-half years before his death. The band had disbanded in 2018, with Peart’s health issues contributing to that decision.
In October 2025, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson announced the Fifty Something tour to celebrate Rush’s legacy while honoring Peart. The tour kicked off on June 7, 2026, in Los Angeles and marks the band’s first tour in 11 years and their first live performances without Neil Peart in 52 years. Nilles made her live debut with Rush at the Juno Awards show at the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, in late March 2026 after undergoing a five-day audition.
Nilles spent a year in rehearsals learning 40 complex Rush classics and studying Peart’s drumming approach. She adapted her own playing style to match the demands of the music, building muscle through weight training to achieve the direct delivery needed for Rush’s songs. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson had initially expressed doubts about her fit with the band after their first rehearsals together, but Nilles has since proven herself capable of handling the role.
Peart’s widow, Carrie Nuttall-Peart, and daughter Olivia Peart publicly endorsed the tour, saying they were “thrilled to support the Fifty Something tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist.” Their attendance at Nilles’ opening performances and the supportive message Nilles received further demonstrated the family’s backing of her involvement with the band.
