Los Angeles-based 19-time Grammy® and Latin Grammy® Award-winning producer, mixer and engineer Rafa Sardina has built an eclectic and impressive client list over the years, including Stevie Wonder, Camila Cabello, D’Angelo, Rosalía, John Legend, Elvis Costello & The Roots, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Monsieur Periné, Flor De Toloache, Jordan Smith, David Foster, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Plácido Domingo, Celine Dion, Rachel Platten, Harry Connick Jr., Josh Groban, Tim McGraw, Mariah Carey, Shakira, Dr. Dre, Dru Hill, Armando Manzanero, David Morales, Jessy Moss, Luis Miguel, Paco de Lucía, Chris Botti, Susan Boyle, Katherine Jenkins, Zaz, Stewart Copeland, Sheryl Crow, Soul Coughing, Angélique Kidjo, Beyoncé, ChocQuibTown, Beto Cuevas, Kevon Edmonds, Kina, Eric Marienthal, Juanes, Angie Stone, Calle 13, Illya Kuriaki & The Valderramas, Alejandro Fernández, blues legends Al Blake & Fred Kaplan, Juan Gabriel, Jumaane Smith, Jackie Evancho, Naturally 7, Michael Bublé, Cristian Castro, Clare Fischer Big Band, Vicente Amigo, Macy Gray, Robbie Williams, Nick Jonas, Anitta, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Patti Austin, Soweto Gospel Choir, Alejandro Sanz, Natalia Lafourcade, Miguel and Residente, among many others.
He has received more than 60 Grammy® and Latin Grammy® nominations for his work with artists including Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Luis Miguel, Diego Torres, Clare Fischer Big Band, Illya Kuriaki & The Valderramas, Alejandro Sanz, Flor De Toloache, Calle 13 and D’Angelo & The Vanguard.
In 2023, Rafa Sardina received a Latin Grammy Award as Producer, Engineer and Mixer for Best Alternative Album. In 2021, he received a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tango Album. In 2020, Sardina received two Latin Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Mariachi Album, as well as a Grammy nomination in 2021.
In 2019, Rafa Sardina received a Grammy recognition for Best Latin Pop Album and nominations for Best Alternative Album. He was also nominated for Producer of the Year at the Latin Grammys. In 2018, he received a Latin Grammy for Best Engineered Album and a nomination for Best Urban Fusion Performance.
In 2016, he received a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for D’Angelo’s Black Messiah and five Latin Grammy nominations for Producer of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Pop Album and Best Alternative Album, winning the Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Album.
Symphonic Soweto, a Tribute to Nelson Mandela won the SAMA, the South African equivalent of the Grammy, for Best Adult Contemporary Album in 2018.
Rafa Sardina served as Governor of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Grammys for 11 years and as Chairman of the Producers & Engineers Wing of the Grammys in 2016. He currently serves as a Trustee of the Latin Grammys and as Vice-Chairman and Founding Member of the CPI (Círculo de Productores e Ingenieros), the organisation representing Producers & Engineers across Latin America, Brazil, Spain and Portugal.
In 2017 and 2018, he served as Executive Producer and Music Producer of the Latin Grammy Person of the Year dinner gala and show, honouring Alejandro Sanz and Maná for their outstanding careers.
Rafa founded Fishbone Productions in 2001. He also built his studio, AfterHours Studios, from the ground up with artists’ needs in mind. The studio was featured in Mix Magazine’s Class of 2017 list of the most innovative studios of the year.
As a musician, engineer and producer, Rafa connects easily with artists and has tremendous respect for creating a studio environment that is performance-friendly for both emerging and established talent.
Rafa’s love for music began at an early age, playing guitar and attending recording sessions in his native Spain. After four years of medical school, Rafa chose to pursue his lifelong passion: music. A period working in live sound with folk, jazz and world music artists in Northern Spain and Southern France led him to the United States, where he attended Full Sail University to expand his knowledge and skills. He graduated with a Valedictorian Award for his achievements and excellence.
Soon after, he landed an engineering position at the legendary Ocean Way Recording Studios in Hollywood and Record One Studios in Los Angeles. Rafa had the unique opportunity to work with world-renowned artists on a daily basis, from Natalie Cole and The Black Crowes to Celine Dion, Green Day, Madonna, The Rolling Stones and Red Hot Chili Peppers. He also worked on the pre-recording of the Academy Awards and on numerous films. His decision to move to Los Angeles proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.
Though Sardina is best known for working on pop, rock and R&B projects, he has recorded and mixed virtually every genre of music imaginable, including orchestral recordings, big band, R&B, dance, gospel, soul, rap/hip-hop, indie, funk, country, tango, world music, alternative, jazz, opera, flamenco, Americana, blues, rock, choral music, film and TV soundtracks, and movie scores such as Any Given Sunday, 102 Dalmatians, Michael Jordan: To the Max, Biker Boyz, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion and Johnny Depp’s The Rum Diary, among many others.
Over the years, Rafa has developed professional and personal relationships with many of the artists he has worked with and has grown to deeply respect.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to a simple studio philosophy: I’m there to make sure the artist is able to realise their vision, intensely collaborate in the creative process and have fun along the journey.”
