Watch a KY Middler Schooler Nail the Whitney Drum Challenge That Professional Drummers Fail

Why Drumming Has Always Seemed Out of Reach for Me

There are some things in life that I know I could practice forever and still never master. One of those things is playing the drums. My husband got really into this drum show a few years back where the host tried to learn the styles of famous drummers. He would break down different rhythms and create his own drum sequences to go along with well-known songs.

It was fascinating to watch. There is such an art and science to it. So much of drumming comes down to raw talent and this incredible connection your brain needs to have with your hands and feet. I just don’t have that connection, no matter how hard I try.

A Sixth Grader Takes On the Whitney Houston Drum Challenge

This week, a friend sent me a video of a sixth grader from Kentucky who attempted the Whitney Houston Drum Challenge. If you know the song “I Will Always Love You,” you know the moment.

There’s a pause in the music, then a dramatic beat drop, and then Whitney comes back in for the big finale. Here's the music (which I don't understand either) to help explain the notes behind the beat drop.

Thousands of people have tried this challenge, and most fail. Even professional drummers struggle to land the note at the exact right moment.

Meet Rosalee Lockwood From East Hardin Middle School

But one sixth grader, Rosalee Lockwood from East Hardin Middle School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, attempted it in front of her entire student body and absolutely nailed it. You can see her counting the beats and then hitting the drum at the exact millisecond. The crowd goes wild, and she gives the cutest bow afterward.

A Viral Moment for a Talented Kentucky Kid

The video has been viewed more than 46 million times, which basically makes Rosalee a star. I love seeing talented Kentucky kids go viral for all the right reasons.

Watch her video below.