About Rachel

Rachel LaFond is a pianist and composer based in Austin, Texas, known for deeply expressive, emotionally rich piano music that invites listeners into the full range of the human experience. Her work blends cinematic scope with intimate presence, creating music that feels both powerful and deeply personal — music that meets people where they are and gently brings them deeper into feeling.

Raised in the Pacific Northwest with roots in Seattle and New Zealand, Rachel’s path as an artist has been shaped by both outward exploration and inward depth. Her early work reflected a spirit of adventure and discovery, including her debut album Wandering Soul, written during a year spent backpacking around the world, as well as subsequent releases like Well Past Midnight, a playful and imaginative departure inspired by her love of mood and atmosphere.

Her ambitious year-long project The 52, in which she composed and released a new piece every week for an entire year, marked a defining chapter in her creative life, showcasing both her range as a composer and her devotion to her craft.

Over time, her music has continued to evolve into something more grounded, present, and deeply connected to the emotional landscape of being human.

At the heart of Rachel’s music is a deep love for emotional expression and authenticity. Shaped by a life of travel, adventure, and deep self-reflection, her compositions move through themes of love, loss, wonder, and transformation. Her playing carries a warmth and presence that listeners often describe as comforting, uplifting, and profoundly human.

In addition to her recorded work, Rachel creates intimate, in-person musical experiences that bring her music into shared, physical space. From candlelit house concerts to small, immersive gatherings centered around connection and reflection, these offerings create an environment where music becomes not just something to listen to, but something to feel together.

She also shares regular piano improvisations, embracing a creative process rooted in presence and emotional immediacy — allowing the music to arise naturally in the moment.

Her latest release, Many Hands, reflects a deeply personal chapter — inspired by the experience of being supported through a difficult time and the quiet power of not having to carry everything alone. Like much of her work, it is an offering of connection, reminding listeners that even in the darkest moments, they are not alone.