Youngest Ever: 13-Year-Old Caleb Varughese Signed by Roland DW Drums

PERTH, Australia, June 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirteen-year-old drummer Caleb Varughese has become the youngest artist signed to the global Roland and DW Drum roster, joining a line-up of professional players decades his senior.

The signing follows a season of rapid growth for the young musician, who performs more than 200 times a year and has played to over 200,000 people live across eight countries in the past 12 months. He already holds an endorsement contract with the iconic German cymbal maker Meinl Cymbals.

For DW and Roland, the partnership offers a window into a fast-growing youth-music audience. Varughese is the drummer for Kingdomcity's youth band, Saints & Warriors. The band's music has drawn more than three million streams in the past year, with a combined 9.7 billion views across the movement's digital channels over the last 12 months. The Christian church spans 30 countries and 47 campuses, with thousands of young musicians and students involved worldwide.

Chris Herring, National Sales Manager for DW and Roland, said Caleb stood out for both his talent and his connection to the brand.

"After getting to know Caleb and his story, we were genuinely excited to offer him a place on our roster as our youngest DW and Roland artist," Mr Herring said. "He has a real passion for drumming and an authentic love for these instruments. We're looking forward to supporting him and growing together on his journey."

Caleb said the opportunity felt surreal.

"I've loved using DW's drums for as long as I've been playing, so to be part of the family is something I never expected at this age," he said. "I love the Maple series and the tonality of each drum. The craftsmanship of DW's products is incredible."

"I just want to keep playing, keep learning, and hopefully inspire other kids who dream about music." Caleb added.

The collaboration is expected to include performance content, social-media features and gear showcases aimed at young, emerging drummers — a demographic increasingly drawn to faith and youth-music communities for connection, creativity and purpose.

Founded in 2006, Kingdomcity is a global Christian church movement with a strong focus on youth development, creativity and community engagement across multiple nations.

For more information visit: https://kingdomcity.com

About Kingdomcity

Kingdomcity is a global church movement founded in 2006 by Pastor Mark Varughese. Now located in 30 countries and exists to connect, equip and empower people to bring the reality of God to their world.