WATCH: Teen drummer follows in dad’s footsteps
Layla has received a special invitation to form part of the East Rand Youth Orchestra.
The term Kempton percussionist doesn’t do young rising Allen Grove star Layla Venter (12) justice as she is an internationally acclaimed drummer raking in one award after another.
“I’ve been drumming since I was about three years old,” said the daughter of former Prime Circle drummer Gerhard Venter.
Layla has been chosen to represent South Africa in Los Angeles during winter this year when she was awarded four gold medals at the South African Championships for the Performing Arts.
In the Talent Africa Competition, Layla achieved provincial colours when she secured five gold medals in the provincial round.
“In the national round, she was number one in the Top 10. She won best performance, overall second place and best instrumentalist award,” her proud mother Geordie said.
Here she was selected from more than 2 500 national contestants to represent South Africa in Talent America to stand a chance to be selected for the musical Dreams.
“At the Arnold Classic, Layla received two gold medals and also achieved another two gold medals in the finale,” Geordie said.
More locally, she won best achiever in creative writing, best instrumental achiever and overall instrumental winner at Kempton Park Eisteddfod.
This little missy is not only an arts and culture fanatic but she is also a top 10 academic achiever at Laerskool Impala. She further plays hockey and netball for her school.
Last but not least, Layla has received a special invitation to form part of the East Rand Youth Orchestra.
She said she asked her mother to enter her in more competitions when she was younger as she loved how critique from the judges made her reflect on and improve her drumming skills.
When asked to tell more about herself, Layla said she grew up with rock, gospel and pop music.
“My favourite drummer, who has inspired and taught me a lot, is YouTube drumming influencer Matt McGuire. I learned how to do a rendition of Happier from Marshmallow which I played at the nationals.”
Her other favourite song to play on the drums is Get down with the Sickness from the band Disturbed.
She says it feels special to be a girl drummer as it makes her feel different and stand out. She would much rather pursue a career in a famous band than being part of an orchestra.
“But if I don’t succeed in my dreams with a band, then I’d love to become a radiologist. I always wanted to be a doctor, but don’t wish to operate on anyone, so I’d enjoy it very much to inspect a person’s bones on X-rays.”
Her favourite subject at school is natural sciences, as she loves to learn about planets in our solar system.
