Afrodeutsche

Growing up in the south west of England,{{Cite web|last=Thomas|first=Katie|date=2019-07-29|title=Afrodeutsche // Interview {{!}} LONDON IN STEREO|url=https://www.londoninstereo.com/afrodeutsche-interview/|access-date=2021-06-08|language=en-US}} Smith-Rolla developed an affinity for music at a young age. When she was seven, she would dance along to hits on Top of the Pops and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-27|title=Manchester's Afrodeutsche takes inspiration from Underground Resistance — and The Sound of Music|url=https://www.factmag.com/2018/06/27/fact-rated-afrodeutsche-interview/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Fact Magazine|language=en-US}} At nine, she was introduced to the West Country free party scene through an older friend{{Cite web|title=Afrodeutsche {{!}} Metal Magazine|url=https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/interview/afrodeutsche-the-language-of-sound|access-date=2021-06-08|website=metalmagazine.eu}} who would bring back cassettes for her to listen to on her Walkman.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-17|title=Afrodeutsche: 'I'm always telling a story'|url=https://shapeplatform.eu/2020/afrodeutsche-im-always-telling-a-story/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Shape|language=en-US}} She soon started to take formal violin lessons, but gave up by age 12, instead opting to spend many hours playing the pianos of the houses her mother was cleaning.{{Cite web|title=Afrodeutsche: "Techno. It’s that language that I can speak"|url=https://kaput-mag.com/stories_en/electric-lights-women-in-electronic-music_henrietta-smith-rolla_afrodeutsche-techno-its-that-language-that-i-can-speak/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Kaput Mag|language=en-GB}}

Smith-Rolla briefly lived in London{{Cite web|date=2018-04-20|title=Wallets at the ready! Join our tour of the UK's greatest record shops|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/apr/20/wallets-at-the-ready-join-our-tour-of-the-uks-greatest-record-shops|access-date=2021-06-08|website=the Guardian|language=en}} before moving to Manchester at age 24. Feeling a strong connection with the city, she describes it as “nurturing without question”, and gave her “complete freedom to make stuff”.

Despite not knowing how to read music at the time, Smith-Rolla was invited to join Graham Massey’s Sisters of Transistors{{Cite web|title=AFRODEUTSCHE|url=https://www.brightersound.com/afrodeutsche-head-shot/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-09|website=Brighter Sound|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609142700/https://www.brightersound.com/afrodeutsche-head-shot/ |archive-date=2021-06-09 }} in 2006, a vintage organ group playing a combination of original music and covers of compositions by the likes of Rachmaninoff. The music was geared towards a Baroque style with an electronic twist. Smith-Rolla has since been involved in several other musical collaborations with Graham Massey, including the Toolshed collective{{Cite web|last=Saint|first=Jed|date=2018-06-18|title=What's in Graham Massey's Toolshed?|url=https://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/graham-massey-toolshed/|access-date=2021-06-09|website=Trebuchet|language=en-GB}} and The Part Time Heliocentric Cosmo Drama After School Club, originally formed as a tribute to the late Sun Ra,{{Cite web|title=Henrietta Smith Rolla|url=https://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/biography/6099/Henrietta_Smith_Rolla|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Manchester Digital Music Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611022542/https://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/biography/6099/Henrietta_Smith_Rolla |archive-date=2021-06-11 }} as well as synth pop group Silverclub,{{Cite web|title=Afrodeutsche: Making Her Way|url=https://www.ableton.com/en/blog/afrodeutsche-making-her-way/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Ableton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417005600/https://www.ableton.com/en/blog/afrodeutsche-making-her-way/ |archive-date=2019-04-17 }} releasing music on Red Laser Records.

Smith-Rolla started to formally make electronic music in 2007, after being introduced to Underground Resistance’s Afrogermanic by friends. In 2009, she started club night Clap Trap with friend Jackie Thompson{{Cite web|title=UK DJ Afrodeutsche makes West Coast debut at New Forms Festival|url=https://www.nsnews.com/local-arts/uk-dj-afrodeutsche-makes-west-coast-debut-at-new-forms-festival-3107702|access-date=2021-06-08|website=North Shore News|language=en}} and that same year she began composing for other people, mostly writing film and theatre scores, taking inspiration from Bernard Hermann’s work for Alfred Hitchcock.

The Afrodeutsche project was started in 2016, growing from a search for Smith-Rolla’s biological father, in which she discovered her Ghanaian roots also included German and Russian heritage.{{Cite web|title=Break Before Make // Afrodeutsche|url=http://www.straylandings.co.uk/reviews/afrodeutsche-break-before-make|access-date=2021-06-08|website=www.straylandings.co.uk|language=en}} Of the name, translating as African-German, she has said “I just had this huge connection to it straight away. I never expected to realise myself artistically in this world.”

In 2018, Smith-Rolla's debut album, Break Before Make, was released on Skam, a mainstay of Manchester’s electronic scene since 1990. A mixture of electro-futurism and Detroit legacy house, it has been described by Juno Records as “undeniably impressive”{{Citation|title=AFRODEUTSCHE - Break Before Make Vinyl at Juno Records.|url=https://www.juno.co.uk/products/afrodeutsche-break-before-make/740582-01/|language=en|access-date=2021-06-08}} and a “killer debut” by Bleep.{{Citation|last=Bleep|title=AFRODEUTSCHE - Break Before Make. Bleep.|url=https://bleep.com//release/102442-afrodeutsche-break-before-make|access-date=2021-06-08}}

This was soon followed in 2019 with the release of an EP, RR001, marking the first release on new record label River Rapid, founded by Scottish DJ Eclair Fifi.{{Cite web|title=Eclair Fifi launches label, River Rapid, with new Afrodeutsche EP · News ⟋ RA|url=https://ra.co/news/44072|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Resident Advisor|language=en}} Its zappy synths and snake-charming basslines prompted Resident Advisor to recognise Afrodeutsche as "a promising newcomer".{{Cite web|title=A promising newcomer delivers a touching blend of techno and electro.|url=https://ra.co/reviews/24070|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Resident Advisor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506171403/https://ra.co/reviews/24070 |archive-date=2021-05-06 }}

Smith-Rolla was invited to attend a five day residency at Brighter Sound with Beth Orton in March 2019, sharing her creative processes with seven local female artists.{{Cite web|title=Beth Orton: Meet the Artists|url=https://www.brightersound.com/beth-orton-meet-the-artists/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Brighter Sound|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812160156/https://www.brightersound.com/beth-orton-meet-the-artists/ |archive-date=2020-08-12 }}

Later in 2019, Smith-Rolla composed the score for Kamali, Sasha Rainbow's short film about a young skateboarder in India, receiving a BAFTA nomination for Best Short Film{{Cite web|date=2019-12-17|title=2020 EE British Academy Film Awards: The Winners|url=https://www.bafta.org/film/awards/ee-british-academy-film-awards-nominees-winners-2020|access-date=2021-06-08|website=www.bafta.org|language=en}} and qualifying for the 2020 Oscars shortlist.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-17|title=How 9-Year-Old Skateboarder Kamali Became The Star Of An Oscar-Contender Short|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/kamali-skateboarder-mahabalipuram-oscars-documentary_in_5da803c8e4b0b5c9be4907a6|access-date=2021-06-08|website=HuffPost|language=en}} For the soundtrack, Smith-Rolla focused on the piano to create its six minimalist tracks, praised for their poignancy and sensitivity.{{Cite web|last=Day|first=Rob|date=2020-09-15|title=Afrodeutsche to Release the Score She Wrote for 'Kamali'|url=https://www.babystepmagazine.com/single-post/2020/09/15/afrodeutsche-to-release-the-score-she-wrote-for-kamali|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Babystep Magazine|language=en}} It was later released on SA Recordings in 2020,{{Cite web|title=Afrodeutsche to release soundtrack for BAFTA-nominated documentary Kamali · News ⟋ RA|url=https://ra.co/news/73674|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Resident Advisor|language=en}} complemented by her own sample library on Spitfire Audio called Spectrum based on the soundtrack.{{Cite web|title=Spitfire Audio — Henrietta Smith-Rolla — Spectrum|url=https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/henrietta-smith-rolla-spectrum/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=www.spitfireaudio.com}} On composing for film, Smith-Rolla has said “I’ve always had a real love for film and scoring – making sense of visual images with sound.”

In April 2021, a selection of Smith-Rolla's compositions were performed in Four Women: The Untold Orchestra, a unique cultural showcase exploring the experiences of black women within the creative industries and society at large, based on the narrative of Nina Simone's Four Women and led by prominent black female artists including fellow Mancunian DJ Paulette. The event also featured music written by composers Errollyn Wallen, Jessie Montgomery and Daniel Bernard Roumain.{{Cite web|title=FOUR WOMEN: THE UNTOLD ORCHESTRA|url=https://www.manchestercityofliterature.com/event/four-women-the-untold-orchestra/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Manchester City of Literature|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611143109/https://www.manchestercityofliterature.com/event/four-women-the-untold-orchestra/ |archive-date=2021-06-11 }}

In August 2021, Smith-Rolla composed a commission for London Contemporary Orchestra. Robert Ames orchestrated and conducted the world premiere along with vocal ensemble Voces8.{{Cite web|title=Live from London: VOCES8 + London Contemporary Orchestra|url=https://www.lcorchestra.co.uk/events/live-from-london-voces8-london-contemporary-orchestra/|access-date=2022-02-06|website=London Contemporary Orchestra|language=en-US}} On working with Ames, Smith-Rolla has said: “I’ve been very blessed… he was orchestrating my work as well as conducting, so there was this connection with the orchestra that was innate, that I couldn’t have engineered.”{{Cite web|date=2021-11-08|title=These electronic musicians are breaking down the boundaries of contemporary classical music|url=https://djmag.com/longreads/these-electronic-musicians-are-breaking-down-boundaries-contemporary-classical-music|access-date=2022-02-06|website=DJMag.com|language=en}}

Later that year, Smith-Rolla collaborated with researcher and PhD student Alex Jovčić-Sas on a project exploring Gertrud Grunow and Daphne Oram’s unique contributions to optical sound theory through archival material, the loan of a Mini-Oramics Machine (an image-based sound generator designed by Oram) and modern compositional tools. This project came into fruition in October 2021, with a commissioned live performance at the Nottingham Contemporary which featured choreography and dance from Martin Tomplinson.{{Cite web|title=Performance: Afrodeutsche|url=https://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/whats-on/performance-afrodeutsche/|access-date=2022-02-06|website=www.nottinghamcontemporary.org|language=en}}

Smith-Rolla performed at the Southbank Centre’s QEH in October 2021 for another world premiere of one of her compositions, 'Promises', alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra and fellow producers Daniel Avery and Aïsha Devi.{{Cite web|title=Unclassified Live: Transforming Sound|url=https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/classical-music/unclassified-live-transforming-sound|access-date=2022-02-06|website=www.southbankcentre.co.uk|language=en}} She was commissioned by Elizabeth Alker and the BBC CO for BBC Radio 3's Unclassified programme.{{Cite web|title=The Quietus {{!}} News {{!}} INTERVIEW: Afrodeutsche Discusses Unclassfied Live|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/30734-afrodeutsche-discusses-unclassfied-live|access-date=2022-02-06|website=The Quietus|language=en-us}}

Smith-Rolla's sound is most heavily influenced by Drexciya, Dopplereffekt, Underground Resistance and Aux 88, as well as a variety of film composers.

In addition to musical composition, Smith-Rolla is a prolific DJ, having toured throughout Europe and performed at Dekmantel,{{Cite web|title=Afrodeutsche|url=https://dekmantelselectors.com/artists/afrodeutsche|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Dekmantel Selectors|language=en}} Sónar Barcelona,{{Cite web|title=Afrodeutsche - Sónar Barcelona 2019|url=https://sonar.es/en/2019/artists/afrodeutsche|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Sónar Barcelona|language=en}} Dimensions,{{Cite web|title=Dimensions Boat Party - DJ Stingray: Afrodeutsche, Solid Blake at Dimensions Festival, Croatia (2019) ⟋ RA|url=https://ra.co/events/1259581|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Resident Advisor|language=en}} and Berghain{{Cite web|title=CTM 2020 {{!}} Opening Club Night {{!}} Berghain / Panorama Bar {{!}} 24 January 2020 — Berghain|url=http://www.berghain.berlin/en/events/67583/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=www.berghain.berlin|language=en}} alongside artists such as Aphex Twin{{Cite web|title=Listen to a killer set from Afrodeutsche at Red Bull Music Festival London|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/afrodeutsche-live-set|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Red Bull|language=en}} and Dopplereffekt. She also hosts a quarterly radio show on NTS called Black Forest,{{Cite web|last=Radio|first=N. T. S.|title=Black Forest w/ Afrodeutsche|url=https://www.nts.live/shows/afrodeutsche|access-date=2021-06-08|website=NTS Radio|language=en}} broadcasting an eclectic selection of electro and techno music. Since 2021 she has been a regular presenter on BBC Radio 6 Music.{{cite web |url=https://mixmag.net/read/afrodeutsche-is-set-to-present-bbc-radio-6-news/ |title=AFRODEUTSCHE IS SET TO PRESENT BBC RADIO 6 |author=Gemma Ross |accessdate=2022-01-29}}

• Break Before Make (2018, Skam)
• Advent 18 (2018, compilation album released by LuckyMe)
• RR001 (2019, River Rapid)
• Kamali (2020, SA Recordings)

• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011g3g The People's Party with AFRODEUTSCHE] (BBC Radio 6 Music)
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0024qzp Soundwaves] (BBC Radio 3 Unwind)

Category:BBC Radio 6 Music presenters

Category:Black British classical musicians

Category:21st-century Black British musicians

Category:21st-century British classical musicians

Category:British contemporary classical composers

Category:British electronic musicians

Category:20th-century British composers

Category:21st-century British composers

Category:20th-century German composers

Category:21st-century German composers

Category:21st-century German women composers

Category:20th-century British women composers

Category:21st-century British women composers