Hello world! I am Rafaele, a musician-designer who reimagines music through my art projects and self-made technologies. Expanding my foundation in cello and composition, I developed Knurl—an electroacoustic instrument merging technology, electronic music, and creative programming.

With my instrument, I discover the possibilities of new artistic expressions and the ownership of designing my own sound, objects and interface through creative programming. To me, to develop my own technology is a way to continuously reflect and overcome the boundaries of my artistic identity and my music practice. And I see that this common DIY movement is growing and creating a positive impact into global communities, whereas each individual tool or gadget we build seems to find easier ways to solve local problems colectively.

In my work, I explore interdisciplinary formats of music art making, engaging with topics such as public engagement, cultural identity, self-made technologies, 3D Printing and social-ambiental awereness.

Improvisation is central to my creative process, allowing me to merge my cognitive skills in music composition into live performances. Through interdisciplinary art experiences, I challenge audiences to rethink about identity, connectivity, and empathy in a globalized world.

My current mission is to produce new music releases, to develop Knurl even further, reach an international public, to foster immersive concert experiences and produce social impact music tours in underdeveloped communities. (Ouf! :))

Bio

Rafaele Andrade (1994, Brazil) is a Brazilian composer, musician, designer, and artist who combines new Brazilian music with new technologies to address social and environmental issues. Creator of the string instrument Knurl, she explores new forms of engagement and interactivity in her productions, which include theater, cinema, and installations. Her international productions are marked by the interdisciplinary fusion of composition and performance, bringing an innovative approach to new and contemporary music.

Graduated in Composition and Conducting from the Escola de Belas Artes do Paraná (2011–2015), she also studied Sonology and New Audiences and Innovative Practices (NAIP) at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. Among her achievements are the Crystal Pine Music Award for her soundtrack Dead Zones (2024), the UNESCO International Fund for the Promotion of Culture (2017), and the Alpine Music Prize (2024) for her solo production “Trópicos.”

In October 2024, Rafaele coordinated her first solo music tour, showcasing her instrument and promoting musical exchanges with local musicians in nine Brazilian cities. The tour happened in 9 different cities of different regions of Brazil, highlighting how her instrument could dialogue with current cities' challenges, such as, urban mobility, the prevention of natural disasters, the promotion of voices of minorities and social inequality.

Her works have been produced in various countries, including Estonia, Germany, China, Brazil, England, Italy, so on Through her creative projects, she has become an expert in artistic production, techincal production, artistic coordination, creative programming, interface design, electronic music, and technologies such as C++, creative programming, microcontrollers, music softwares, and 3D modeling and printing. Fluent in Portuguese, English, Dutch, Spanish, and German, she is dedicated to the development of the electronic instrument Knurl and the production of her independent works.