10-year-old girl nicknamed Mini Hendrix is guitar heroine

Musical prodigy, Ayla Gezmis, from Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire has become one of the youngest people in Britain to achieve grade 8 on the guitar. The 10-year-old completed the feat two years after first picking up the instrument. Ayla perfected her skills after attending weekly lessons with Rockschool, which aims to help the nation’s future rock stars.



The syllabus is designed for pupils to sit one grade per year usually, but Ayla has already reached the highest level of graded music exams for the guitar. Guitar tutor, Dan Clark said: “When I first met Ayla she was a complete beginner, just about to turn eight-years-old but very quickly she was playing the tunes spot-on, straight away.

“That year she passed her Grade one with distinction which was pretty good progress already. I was thinking she’s going to hit a brick wall trying to get the chords right, people are 18-years-old when they get to Grade eight but there was no stopping her. She’s very talented, we call her Mini Hendrix.”


YouTube link.

Ayla said: “Not that many girls play the guitar, it’s kind of a boy instrument so I hope I can join a band and show that girls can play too. At the minute the only person I play with is Dan, during lessons, but it is great fun when we just jam out. I want to start a band and one day be as big as AC/DC.” Ayla’s dad has now bought her a brand new Gibson guitar and she hopes to form her own band later this year.

Ayla's YouTube channel.