Alessandro Cortini

Alessandro Cortini, born on May 24, 1976, in Bologna, Italy, and raised in Forlì, established himself as a prominent figure in the music industry. He initially moved to the United States to study guitar at the Musicians Institute. Over time, his focus shifted from guitar to keyboards and synthesizers, which became central to his musical expression. Cortini became a touring guitarist for The Mayfield Four from 2001 to 2002. He also co-founded Modwheelmood, an electronic/alternative band, releasing two EPs, “?” (2003) and “Enemies & Immigrants” (2006), followed by “Pearls to Pigs, Vol. 1” (2007).

Cortini joined Nine Inch Nails after an open audition in 2005. His tenure with the band included extensive touring from 2005 to 2008 and contributions to albums like “Ghosts I–IV” and “The Slip”. In 2020, Cortini achieved a notable milestone as the first Italian inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Nine Inch Nails. His solo projects include blindoldfreak and SONOIO, under which he released multiple albums, such as “SONOIO Blue” (2010), “SONOIO Red” (2011), and “Fine” (2018). He has also released several albums under his own name, including “Forse 1” (2013), “Risveglio” (2015), and “VOLUME MASSIMO” (2019), and most recently “NATI INFINITI” (2024).

Beyond his performance career, Cortini is known as an instrument maker. In 2021, he collaborated with Make Noise to create “Strega,” a custom-designed semi-modular synthesizer. He has also engaged in collaborations with various artists, co-producing albums for Ladytron, contributing to a song for Christina Aguilera, and releasing a collaborative album with Daniel Avery, “Illusion of Time” (2020). Cortini’s career highlights his versatile contributions as a musician, composer, and innovator in electronic music.