Nandi Bushell put her drum skills to the test, recreating Karen Carpenter’s legendary cover of “Dancing in the Street” that was recorded during a 1960s television appearance.
The original clip saw a young Karen Carpenter — just a few years older than Bushell is now — performing as part of a trio during a studio-audience talk show. Various versions of the video have amassed thousands of views on YouTube, mainly due to Karen’s incredible jazz drumming, which she simultaneously juggles with the song’s lead vocal. Karen’s solo is jaw-dropping — after all, she made our list of the top 100 drummers of all-time for a reason.
It’s the same kind of virtuosity Bushell is known for, so it’s no surprise that fans have been sending her the clip — more so than any other.
“I have so much love and respect for Karen Carpenter!” wrote Nandi on X/Twitter. “She was such an incredible drummer, singer, songwriter. An absolute legend! I have been sent this video clip more than any other, so thought I would given her amazing solo a go.”
Nandi overlays her performance with the original video of Karen, picking up at the chorus refrain right before the solo, forcing Nandi to emulate Karen’s ability to play and sing at the same time. Nandi’s jazz chops are up to the task as she rattles off the fills and rolls in sync with Karen.
Below you can watch Nandi’s video, as well as a clip of the full original performance featuring Carpenter and company.