Senri Kawaguchi, The Stick Mistress

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The world of rock and hard metal is quite demanding and frustrating. That is why it is not easy to find many successful women in it. However, there are a few, like Senri Kawaguchi, who has made it

Senri Kawaguchi was born in the suburbs of Nagoya, Japan, in 1997. She was only five when she started playing drums, which has pushed her to be the best in metal and hard rock. It is not very easy to find such a young female drummer making a name in this industry. But she has defied all odds to leave a mark that others would follow.

Senri Kawaguchi
Senri Kawaguchi

An eight-year-old, she started her lessons under Kozo Suganuma, one of the world’s best drummers. She studied hard because her focus was on becoming a great drummer as inspired by her influencers. And her efforts yielded results when she received awards in the “Rhythm $ Drums Magazine” in 2007. She went on to appear on several TV shows that helped in further shaping her career.

In 2009, she started performing live. She also collaborated within the fusion band “FRAGILE.” She released her debut DVD “Horoscope, in the same year. She joined a junior high school where she takes music studies. Senri is an innovative and hardworking drummer. Those who listen to her work say there is always something new she is offering, which sets her apart from other drummers.

One fan was heard saying, “I had never seen such passion in such a young female drummer. You can see the fire in her heart through her eyes. Everything she does paints her as someone set for greatness.” In 2015, she was at the “Rock au Chateau” Festival in France. And in 2016, she released 3 CDs that she had been working on since the previous year. They were a collaboration between Kawaguchi, Kozo Sugunama, and Kaori Hirohara. Her third CD, Trick or Treat, was part of KiyoSen. 

In 2017, Senri participated in events that promoted Yamaha drums at their 50th anniversary. The event culminated into a concert on stage with Dave Weckl and other reputable drummers.  She worked with other artists in the same year, including Bootsy Collins on the “World Wide Funk” CD. It was released in October 2017.

Senri Kawaguchi Performing
Senri Kawaguchi Performing

2017, September, Senri got a chance to perform with Saisse and Sabal-Lecco for a televised performance at the 2017 Tokyo Jazz Festival. She also performed in various other venues, including Motion Blue in Tokyo. She recorded and released a DVD and Blu-ray during that time, which won the Nissan Jazz Japan Award 2017. She delivered the “Best Live Performance,” which gave her the award.

In October, she traveled to Bengaluru to participate in the 2017 October Octaves with Indian fusion violinist Abhijith PS Nair. Today, Senri continues to perform in different parts of the world. She endorses Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, and Drumsticks. She is one of the best rock and hard metal female drummers in the world today.

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Andrea

Andrea is a music lover and an experienced drummer with more than 15 years of drumming with different bands and music projects, such as Seditius and Hermano & the Marines.