11-year-old guitarist Aanika Pai has caught the attention of ex-Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro after playing an impromptu solo to a backing track at Loureiro’s Guitar Experience camp in Helsinki.
The young guitarist confidently went on stage, plugged a flare red Ibanez RG550 that Loureiro lent her into a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and ripped a few solos that even impressed the veteran guitarist. Pai showcased her speed and fast-developing penchant for classic rock and speed metal-style solos.
Her stylistic preference comes as no surprise, considering she’s been posting guitar covers in the same vein as Van Halen’s Jump, Queen’s Somebody to Love, Megadeth’s Lucretia and Killing Time, and Pearl Jam’s Alive.
“What an unbelievable moment!!! Thank you @kikoloureiro for the amazing guitar camp in Helsinki. Aanika was super lucky to get to use one of Kiko Loureiro’s first Ibanez guitars in the guitar experience camp,” Pai’s parents posted on Instagram.
Loureiro’s guitar camp comes after he kickstarted his post-Megadeth career. Earlier this year, Kiko Loureiro released his first new music since his departure from the band last November – a collaborative single with virtuoso guitarist Plini. The track was reportedly written and recorded in a single day.
Loureiro also talked to Guitar World about why his temporary departure from Megadeth became permanent, and what fans can expect from him moving forward.
“It was complicated for me to say because I wanted to play, but I knew I needed to be at home. And, of course, Dave [Mustaine, Megadeth’s co-founder and frontman] was not expecting it. We had just done a show in Florida with the Misfits, and it was right after that show that I talked to Dave,” he said.
“Ultimately, I had to take control because I knew I needed and wanted to be home. People who don’t have kids won’t understand, while if you do, you will. I don’t want to regret my choices about my kids in 10 years because I wasn’t there. The type of freedom I was talking about was deciding what you want to do with your life.”
Out of the Void (feat. Kiko Loureiro & Plini) – YouTube 
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And in terms of new music, Loureiro mentioned he’s well on his way to potentially releasing more solo material. “Even before I talked to Dave I had around 11 new songs done. By May, I had the drums recorded, and in June I did the rhythm guitars for what’s going to be an instrumental solo guitar album. I now need to finish the solos and melodies, and I finally have time.”
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