'I'm Deeply Grateful' - New Rush Drummer Shares First Full Statement Since Joining the Band

Anika Nilles has released a statement on the fan response after it was announced she would be playing drums for Rush during the band's 2026 reunion tour.

What Anika Nilles Said About Joining Rush

Surviving Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson announced on Monday (Oct. 6) that they would be reuniting for the band's first tour since the 2020 death of drummer Neil Peart. The last proper Rush tour came in 2015 during the R40 Live Tour.

Lee and Lifeson released a video on Monday where the two discussed their love of playing Rush's music along with the arrival of Nilles, who will join the band for the 2026 tour.

The 42-year-old German drummer has since taken to social media to share her feelings following the announcement.

"Hey there, the past few days have been quite overwhelming," Nilles said in an Instagram post on Thursday. "I'm sure many of you feel the same."

Nilles went on to thank Lee and Lifeson for welcoming her into the band and trusting her to handle drum duties as she takes over for Peart. She also had words to share regarding Rush fans, including those who may have heard her name for the first time with the tour announcement.

"I also don't want to miss the chance to warmly welcome all the new faces here and to thank you for your kind and open-minded words – they truly mean a lot. At the same time. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who has followed and supported my journey over the years."

What We Know About Rush's Reunion Tour So Far

Rush's Fifty Something Tour has continued to grow since we first found out about it on Monday.

The initial announcement had the band playing a total of 12 shows spread across seven cities, with the first date set for June 7 in Los Angeles. Since that time, the tour has nearly doubled in dates with performances added to existing stops in Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Texas, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Cleveland.

Rush are expected to play two sets each night of the tour.

"We're gonna cover a lot of things and change it up night to night, but we'll always have a part of the show that is a tribute to Neil and the memory of him and everything he was to us," Lifeson said in the video for the tour announcement.

In addition to Nilles joining the band, Lee also hinted at additional musicians being on stage, including a keyboard player. Lee, who would typically play keyboards in addition to bass, said he would likely continue to play those parts during bigger songs like "Tom Sawyer."

How to Get Rush Tickets

Tickets to see Rush in 2026 will first be available via an artist presale starting at Noon local time on Oct. 13. Fans can register to be part of the presale here until 11:59 p.m. ET today.

General ticket sales will begin at Noon Oct. 17 for the U.S. and Canada shows and 11 a.m. for the lone Mexico performance.

Rush's 2026 Fifty Something Tour

6/7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
6/9 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
6/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
6/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
6/18 – Mexico City, MX @ Palacio de los Deportes
6/24 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
6/26 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
6/28 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
6/30 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
7/16 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
7/18 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
7/20 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
7/22 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
7/28 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
7/30 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
8/1 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
8/3 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
8/7 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
8/9 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
8/11 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
8/13 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
9/17 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena
9/19 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena