Seventeen-year-old Chloe Cordeiro isn’t your typical high school student. While most teens are juggling homework and college applications, Chloe is also keeping the pulse of American Idiot—the explosive musical powered by Green Day’s iconic punk soundtrack, currently being staged at the Wilbury Theatre Group in Providence. Behind the drum kit, Chloe drives the show’s energy night after night with power, precision, and passion well beyond her years.
I sat down with Chloe, a Warwick resident, to talk about preparation, punk rock, and what it’s like to live out a dream on stage—even before graduating high school.
Ida: Chloe can you tell me a bit about your background and how you began your musical career?
Chloe: I started playing drums when I was 3-years old. At 5-years old I started to take lessons at You Rock School of Music in Cranston. I now attend the Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Pawtucket (JMW). I also come from a musical and artsy family. My dad plays piano, my grandfather plays guitar, my sister is a digital artist, and my Mom is a teacher and an artist.
Ida: Green Day’s music is known for its raw energy and fast-paced rhythms. How did you prepare to take on that kind of drumming for a full-length musical?
Chloe: Practicing with the album track, I had to listen to Green Day over and over. I read music and was comfortable with the score. Although It was overwhelming, I knew I could meet the challenge with practice and rehearsals.
Ida: Did you stay true to Tré Cool’s drumming or add your own style?
Chloe: I added my own style to the music. I have been influenced by jazz and funk. I tried to incorporate that into my playing, and to be as true as I could to Tré Cool’s drumming as well.
Ida: Were there any songs that pushed you technically?
Chloe: “St. Jimmy” is particularly difficult because the tempo is so fast. I had to work hard and become more proficient on the kick-drum in order to maintain the groove. “Holiday,” “Jesus of Suburbia” and “Homecoming” are long and intense with lots of time signature changes.
Ida: How do you balance school and your professional-level performance schedule?
Chloe: With hard work and planning. My art school, JMW, is supportive and time-flexible. The school encourages an academic and performing arts life-balance. Half of my life is managing academics, and the other half is my music. Relying on the support of my family and teachers allows me to fulfill my dream as a drummer. I couldn’t do it without them.
Ida: Who are your musical influencers?
Chloe: Tré Cool, obviously, but my greatest influencer is Carter Beauford. My family and I are big fans of the Dave Matthews Band. I have always been drawn to Beauford’s energy and creativity.
Ida: What does punk rock mean to you?
Chloe: Punk is political, cultural and social—especially in American Idiot. You have to feel the emotional context of the music to play it. It’s about honesty and expressing what you feel—loudly. There’s no pretending in punk.
Ida: How is playing for a stage musical different from playing in a band?
Chloe: The biggest difference is that you have to be more precise for the stage. In a band, you lead the groove. In theater, you follow the story. You’re reacting to cues, actors, lights—it’s more structured than playing in a band. In American Idiot, the drummer is leading the rest of the band, and they count on me to hold the structure together.
Ida: What’s been the most memorable part of this experience?
Chloe: The actors and the musicians in the band have been the most memorable part of this experience. I am the youngest person in the ensemble, and they made me feel a part of the creative process. They welcomed me as a professional. It is probably the most fun project I have ever been a part of.
Ida: Any advice for other young drummers dreaming of playing in a show like this?
Chloe: My advice is to be confident in knowing what you want to do. Take advantage of every musical opportunity you have. This will increase your diversity. Do not stop what you are doing—follow your dream.
Apparently, this 17-year-old is channeling emotion through music with a clarity that’s both insightful and inspiring. There’s something extraordinary about the way she has turned feeling into sound—honest, unfiltered, and unforgettable. Break a leg, Chloe!
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