The first time then-12-year-old Nikhil Bagga played the national anthem of Canada and the U.S. on his trusted guitar in front of an NHL crowd, he appeared comfortable from the first chord. That was at the dedicated Kid’s Game during the Kraken’s inaugural season, playing for 17,000-plus wholly impressed fans. Bagga even hammed it up on the final stanza, looking up hanging on long and true with a firm hand to the note accompanying the “free” following “home of the.”
Fast forward to Monday: Now 14, Bagga, looked just as comfy and poised playing the “Star-Spangled Banner” mistake-free to a high-decibel, outright-bonkers appreciative crowd of more than 47,000. Bagga hit every note, high and low, with a gigantic flag unfurling on the rink. Bagga’s rousing finish on his favorite guitar was accompanied by Naval Station Whidbey Island helicopters with, yes, humans holding flags on the tow rope dangling solidly from the choppers.
Bagga has played for the Mariners before (no fireworks and extraordinary curriculars, though) and notched a second anthem night at Climate Pledge Arena last season.
“The NHL saw me play the second time I played for the Kraken,” said Bagga Sunday before his sound-check at the ballpark. “They asked me to play for the Winter Classic.”
Bagga said he chases any nerves by channeling adrenaline to the positive and “just trying to take it all in and seize the moment as it happens.”
Wisdom from a freshman at Bellevue High, whose friends, of course, think it’s so cool their classmate started his New Year at the 2024 Winter Classic and, just as importantly, has already cut his own album, entitled “Leap of Faith,” available on all platforms fans might search for their favorite music and artists. Visit nikhilbagga.com
Bagga no doubt picked up more followers and downloads with his bring-the-house-noise-up performance on Monday. He started writing his own songs during the pandemic. But make no mistake, he is still humble and, well, chill – as evidenced by hoping (rather than assuming) he would get to meet the members of Heart who played during the first intermission on Monday.
"It was a surreal experience," said Bagga, smiling ear-to-ear in a celebrity suite during the first period.
Born in Toronto, Bagga followed the NHL Maple Leafs in his younger years but now confided the Kraken are the first position for his hockey rooting interests. No offense to Jordan Eberle and other Seattle teammates who play the guitar, but Bagga’s first love is that guitar he used Monday (and the maybe, three or four backups at home). He picked up his first guitar at nine and it was love/dedication/playing-for-hours-but-feels-like-20-minutes from the first strum.
“I taught myself, somebody taught me a couple of chords and kind of took it and ran with it,” said Bagga, who sought out a guitar to play along with favorite artists and groups, Ed Sheeran, Ayron Jones, AC/DC, and Queen. His first public performance was busking in San Diego - on his 10th birthday.
That Queen attraction? His anthem Monday definitely evoked audience participation just like Freddie Mercury and company.
In short order, Bagga and his dad, Bob, figured it might be smart – and fun – to take lessons. That’s when the pre-teen connected with local teacher Matt Benham, who acknowledges Bagga is a star pupil but was quick to point out why Bagga gets the credit.
“The difference [about why such success and composure for Bagga] would be just the time spent doing it,” said Benham, a guitar instructor at West Side Music Academy and president of the Seattle Jazz Guitar Society. That’s so important, for sure. He's got the hunger for playing and learning.”
