Alessandro Cortini

Alessandro Cortini (born 24 May 1976) is an Italian musician best known for his work with the American industrial band Nine Inch Nails. He plays modular synthesizers, keyboards, guitar, and bass guitar.

Cortini is the first Italian inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, when he was inducted as a member of Nine Inch Nails.

Early life and education

Cortini was born in Bologna, Italy and raised in Forlì, Italy. Cortini moved from Italy to the United States to study guitar at the Musicians Institute. After graduating, and straying away from the guitar, he decided to focus on keyboards and synths.

Career Early projects From 2001 to 2002, Cortini acted as touring guitarist for The Mayfield Four in support of their album Second Skin.

In fall 2006, Cortini contributed to the Musicians Institute's Recording Artist Program by acting as advisor for one-on-one training with students.

He was also a founding member of Modwheelmood, an electronic/alternative band from Los Angeles, with former Abandoned Pools guitarist Pelle Hillström. Together they have released two EPs? (2003) and Enemies & Immigrants (2006). In 2007, they released Things Will Change, the companion remix disc for Enemies & Immigrants, and they released the first part of their new album Pearls to Pigs, Vol. 1 on 25 December 2007 exclusively as a digital release.

Nine Inch Nails While briefly teaching at the Musicians Institute, he saw an ad for open auditions for Nine Inch Nails. Trent Reznor stated that Alessandro Cortini "fit in immediately." Reznor also stated that:

My first thought when Alessandro walked in was that he didn't look like what I had in mind. His presence was intense but gentle, not the "I'm gonna attack you" energy fans might associate with NIN. Then he started, and within 30 seconds I was like "That's the guy!" I never once regretted it. Without taking anything away from Charlie [Clouser], Alessandro is really into playing the studio parts as much as humanly possible. during which his primary instrument was bass.

Cortini became the first Italian inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Nine Inch Nails in 2020.

How to Destroy Angels Cortini joined How To Destroy Angels, a project consisting of Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Rob Sheridan and Mariqueen Maandig, as a touring member. He performs multiple instruments onstage and in addition remixed under his SONOIO moniker their single "The Spaces In-Between", which was used as the show finale for the majority of the tour. In 2013, Cortini returned to Nine Inch Nails as their touring member, and co-wrote the opening track of Hesitation Marks with Trent Reznor.

Solo works In 2009, he completed a small Canadian tour under a solo project moniker, named blindoldfreak.

Cortini is also the frontman for the Los Angeles–based electronic-alternative band SONOIO, formed in summer 2010. The band name SONOIO comes from the Italian phrase "sono io", which means "it's me", as it is a solo project consisting solely of Alessandro Cortini. In July 2010 SONOIO released the album SONOIO Blue which was followed up by a remix album in December 2010, NON SONOIO. In June 2011, SONOIO released the album, SONOIO Red.

Cortini has released albums through Mute Records, Volume Massimo in 2019, Scuro Chiaro in 2021, and NATI INFINITI in 2024.

Collaborations with other artists Alessandro Cortini worked with Ladytron in the production of two of their albums, Velocifero (2008) and Gravity the Seducer (2011). He also co-produced the second track, "We Are the Sea", from the debut album Crystal World (2013) of Ladytron's main singer, Marnie.

In 2009, he filled in for Morgan Nicholls (touring member of Muse) while Nicholls took a leave of absence to be with his newborn son.

In 2010, he contributed electronic production to a song called "Birds of Prey" by pop artist Christina Aguilera, produced by Ladytron. The song is featured on the deluxe edition of her fourth studio album Bionic.

Cortini released a collaborative album called "Illusion of Time" with Daniel Avery in March 2020.

Instruments In 2021, Cortini released a patchable analog synth called Strega, Italian for “witch,” an instrument he created in collaboration with Make Noise.

Discography As himself 2013: Forse 1 (LP, released July 2013) 2013: Forse 2 (LP, released November 2013) 2014: Sonno (LP) 2015: Forse 3 (LP) 2015: Risveglio (LP, released July 2015) 2016: SPIE (EP, released 22 September 2016) 2017: Avanti (LP, released 6 October 2017) 2019: VOLUME MASSIMO (LP, released 27 September 2019) 2021: SCURO CHIARO (LP, released 11 June 2021) 2024: NATI INFINITI (LP, released 4 October 2024) 2025: VALVOLE (Single, released 21 February 2025) 2025: Memorie I (EP, released 9 April 2025) 2025: Il Mostro (Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) (Album, released 24 October 2025)

SONOIO 2010: SONOIO (Blue, Album, September 2010) 2011: SONOIO (Red, Album, June 2011) 2018: Fine (Album, July 2018)

Blindoldfreak 2009: 1 (EP, 2009)

Modwheelmood 2003: ? (EP, 2003) 2006: Enemies & Immigrants (EP, released May 2006) 2007: Things Will Change (The companion remix disc to Enemies & Immigrants, released digitally in October 2007.) 2007: Pearls to Pigs, Vol. 1 (EP, released on 25 December 2007) 2008: Pearls to Pigs, Vol. 2 (EP, released on 26 February 2008) 2008: Pearls to Pigs, Vol. 3 (EP, released on 16 July 2008) 2009: Pearls to Pigs (Album, released on 2 June 2009)

With Nine Inch Nails 2007: Beside You in Time (live DVD/HD DVD/Blu-ray, 2007) 2007: Year Zero Remixed – "The Great Destroyer" (remixed by Modwheelmood) 2008: Ghosts I–IV 2008: The Slip 2013: Hesitation Marks

With Jovanotti 2008: Safari

With Ladytron 2008: Velocifero (Collaboration & production. Album, June 2008) 2008: Ghosts single (modwheelmood remix, May 2008) 2011: Gravity the Seducer (Collaboration & Production. Album, September 2011)

With Marnie 2013: "We Are the Sea" (Collaboration & Production. Album track, June 2013)

With Yoav 2008: Adore Adore (modwheelmood remix, 2008) 2008: Beautiful Lie (modwheelmood remix 2008)

With The Mayfield Four 2001: Second Skin

With Puscifer 2007: V is for Vagina (Synthesizer. Album, October 2007) 2011: Conditions of My Parole (Collaboration & Production. Album, October 2011) - "Oceans"

With Lawrence English 2018: Immediate Horizon (Album, November 2018)

With Alain Johannes and Norm Block 2019: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint (Original Game Soundtrack) (LP, released 4 October 2019)

With Daniel Avery 2020: Illusion of time (Illusion de la tiempo) (LP, released 27 March 2020)