Grimes’ 10-month-old baby plays a Teenage Engineering OP-1 synth, proving that it really is a children’s toy

Grimes' baby plays OP-1
(Image credit: Grimes/Instagram)

Whether musical talent is genetic remains open to debate, but it certainly seems that electronic artist Grimes’ son X Æ A-12 could be a chip off the old synth-loving block.

In a heartwarming Instagram story, the 10-month-old can be seen tinkering with a Teenage Engineering OP-1, while his proud mother looks on in the background.

Of course, this might add fuel to the argument that the OP-1 is more of a child’s plaything than a serious synth, but we applaud Grimes’ decision to start X Æ A-12 - pronounced ‘X Ash Twelve’, we believe - on his music production journey early.

Teenage Engineering OP-1

(Image credit: Future)

We do hope the little chap doesn’t break that OP-1, though, as a replacement wouldn’t come cheap. That said, given that his other parent is a certain Elon Musk, we’re guessing that buying another one wouldn’t be a problem.

It does seem that X Æ A-12 has inherited more of his mother’s musical ability than his father’s, though, which has to be a good thing.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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