M. Rider is a Croatian singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist based in Berlin. Music has always been a formative force in her life. She began studying classical guitar at the age of seven and played her first concerts as a college student in her hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. It wasn’t until she moved to Brighton, UK, in her twenties that her burgeoning singer-songwriter career began to take off. In 2012, under the project name Minor Sounds, she signed a publishing deal with FatCat Records, followed by airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sussex. Two years later, she relocated to Berlin, where she has been based ever since.

Berlin’s distinctive music scene has shaped her sound in profound ways. Embracing a new palette of synthesizers and drum machines, she gradually shifted towards electronic music while remaining true to her nostalgic alt-pop roots.

Indebted to the pop-rock giants of the 1980s, whose music left an enduring mark on her formative years, M. Rider creates emotional landscapes that evoke Bryan Ferry’s playful seductiveness and Sade’s mellow sensuality. Yet her sound is kaleidoscopic and distinctly her own, moving fluidly between genres and styles. Imbued with saudade, her songs are atmospheric and cinematic, offering glimpses into the inner world of a wandering, soul-searching poet.

Over the years, M. Rider has collaborated with established musicians and producers in studios across Europe. In 2017, she released Dark Horse, her debut EP under the M. Rider moniker, with support from Paulo Reachi of Airdrop Records and Tresor Records. The EP was co-produced by David Kosten (Bat for Lashes).

For her forthcoming debut album, she has collaborated with an accomplished roster of musicians and producers, including Vincent Taurelle (Air), Earl Harvin (Air, Tindersticks), Neil Fraser (Tindersticks), Lucy Wilkins (Bryan Ferry, Tindersticks), Axel Reinemer (Jazzanova), Leo Abrahams and Franz Kirmann. The album is scheduled for release in 2027.