Caleb Hayes went viral after air-drumming at a Slipknot concert in 2020, and now the 7-year-old has an opportunity to show off his actual skills. He visited The Ellen Show, where he fearlessly ripped through Slipknot's 2008 track "Sulfur" before chatting with the host, who called him “the cutest heavy-metal drummer I have ever seen.”
Ellen asked the young rocker some questions (he started playing drums at age two; his favorite band is, you guessed it, Slipknot; and when he gets nervous before performing he just thinks about chocolate) before gifting him with a Jay Weinberg signature snare drum, which he's been saving up for.
Weinberg praised Hayes on Twitter, writing: ”Once again, you’ve made all your big brothers in Slipknot proud! What a way to own the moment, and deliver a fantastic performance. So stoked to see you rip it up on The Ellen Show, and that you’re heading home with a new SJC Drums snare.”
See Hayes' adorable reaction to the gift and his jaw-dropping performance above.
Hayes isn't the only elementary-aged Slipknot fan that can tear up the drums. 11-year-old Nandi Bushell covered the band's 2004 song "Duality" last year while wearing a Weinberg mask and tried double pedals for the first time while playing along to "Unsainted."