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Photo credit: Jen Rosenstein
Every generation of guitar players inherits a vast musical lineage shaped by blues pioneers, rock innovators, jazz visionaries, and cultural storytellers whose sounds defined entire eras. For some musicians, reverence for these classics becomes a creative anchor rather than a limitation. The most compelling guitarists today are often those who study the past deeply, absorb its language, and then reshape it into something personal and contemporary.
Respecting the classics does not mean imitation. It means understanding the emotional vocabulary behind the notes — the bends of the blues, the rhythmic drive of funk, the harmonic curiosity of jazz, and the raw edge of rock. Guitarists who embrace this approach often spend years listening closely to foundational players, learning not only technique but intention. From tone choices to phrasing, they recognize that classic sounds carry stories, culture, and identity.
What separates these artists from traditionalists is their willingness to reinterpret heritage through their own experiences. Instead of copying licks verbatim, they adapt them to modern production, new rhythmic contexts, and personal narratives. This process of reinvention allows classic guitar language to remain alive, evolving alongside contemporary audiences and technologies.
For newcomers, this balance between tradition and innovation provides a powerful entry point into guitar culture. Discovering artists who openly honor their influences encourages young players to explore musical history while also trusting their individuality. Seeing a guitarist blend vintage tones with modern aesthetics validates the idea that heritage is not a rulebook, but a foundation.
This approach also strengthens personal identity. When guitarists align classic influences with their own voice, style, and background, the instrument becomes a tool for self-expression rather than nostalgia. Their sound reflects who they are — shaped by the past but unmistakably present. Listeners can hear echoes of legends while still recognizing something new and authentic.
In a fast-moving musical landscape, guitarists who respect the classics while reinventing themselves act as cultural bridges. They preserve the soul of guitar music while ensuring its relevance for future generations. By honoring where the instrument has been and daring to imagine where it can go, they remind us that the guitar’s true power lies not in repetition, but in continuity through creativity.
Here’s the Guitar Thrills perspective on Rayane Fortes — how the Guitar Thrills Magazine frames her artistry, challenges, and place in the guitar world:
From the Guitar Thrills interview and profile, Rayane Fortes emerges as a guitarist and singer who bridges cultural and musical boundaries with both respect for classic forms and personal reinvention. The magazine highlights her rise from local stages in Brazil to wider recognition after turning all four chairs on The Voice Brasil and going viral with millions of views — moments that helped expand her audience beyond her home country.
Guitar Thrills emphasizes that Rayane’s musical style isn’t confined to a single genre, spanning rock-influenced blues, jazz fusion, soul, R&B, and pop. This reflects a musician comfortable with the guitar tradition but not limited by it. In her own words, she embraces the emotional and expressive power of guitar playing while pursuing creative growth and new sonic territories.
The interview also touches on the challenges she faces, especially as a woman in a male-dominated guitar culture. Rayane speaks candidly about having to prove her skills repeatedly and dealing with gendered comments, even as she gains respect and recognition for her artistry. Her perspective underscores that respect for heritage goes together with navigating contemporary realities — social, cultural, and industry-based — in ways that shape her identity as an artist.d guitars.
Guitar Thrills further highlights Rayane’s ambitions to perform internationally and to blend languages and markets, showing her desire to connect classic guitar traditions with global audiences while staying true to her roots. Whether speaking about her performances, collaborations with established artists, or aspirations for broader touring, the magazine frames her as an artist who honors the lineage of guitar music while actively shaping her own path in it.
In sum, from the Guitar Thrills Magazine viewpoint, Rayane Fortes is a compelling example of a modern guitarist who respects classic influences but reinvents them within her own voice and vision — bridging heritage with innovation and inspiring both peers and newcomers in the guitar world.
ABOUT RAYANE FORTES
Rayane Fortes is a Brazilian guitarist, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Fortaleza, Ceará. She is widely recognized as one of the most promising new names in Brazil’s contemporary music scene, known for combining strong guitar technique with expressive vocals and original songwriting.
She gained national attention in 2023 when she appeared on The Voice Brasil. Performing with electric guitar, Rayane impressed the judges by turning all four chairs — a rare moment on the show. Around the same time, a video of her performing at the Copa do Nordeste final in Fortaleza went viral, further boosting her visibility and social media following.
Musically, Rayane Fortes blends pop, R&B, blues, jazz, and rock, creating a sound that highlights both her instrumental skills and melodic sensibility. In 2021, she released her debut album, Atenta, featuring ten original tracks that showcase her versatility as a composer and performer.
Beyond recordings, she is known for her powerful live performances and confident stage presence. Rayane often addresses the lack of female representation in guitar-centered music and has become a reference for young women interested in instrumental performance in Brazil.
In recent years, she has also worked on special projects reinterpreting classic Brazilian songs, including tribute performances to artists such as Marina Lima, while maintaining her own musical identity. Through these projects, Rayane Fortes continues to expand her influence as both a guitarist and a contemporary Brazilian artist.
INTERVIEW WITH RAYANE FORTES AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: Your playing clearly reflects deep respect for classic guitar traditions. Which artists or eras most shaped your musical foundation, and why?
Rayane: Stevie had a huge impact on me because of his touch and playability. I’m still amazed by how he was able to achieve such powerful tones and record such clean sounds, considering all the technical limitations of that era. The first time I heard him, I was just a child, and I remember thinking, “I want to play exactly like that.”
The period from the 1960s to the 1980s is my favorite. It was a time when so many iconic artists emerged, and beyond the music, I’m also deeply inspired by the visual concepts and aesthetics of that era.
Guitar Thrills: When you’re learning from the classics, how do you decide what to preserve and what to reinterpret to make it feel personal?
Rayane: When I play classics, especially the ones that deeply inspire me, I try as much as possible to respect the original composition. But inevitably, my own fingerprint is embedded in the interpretation. That’s the unavoidable difference. No matter how famous a song is, when you interpret it through your own perspective ‘especially when you have a strong identity and don’t want to imitate” it becomes your version. I think that’s the boundary for me. I don’t like to change existing music; I simply add the “Ray” touch through interpretation, and I love that
Guitar Thrills: You move fluidly between blues, rock, jazz, R&B, and pop. How do these styles coexist in your creative process without competing?
Rayane: For me, they don’t compete they complement each other. Blues is my emotional foundation, R&B brings groove and sensuality, and pop helps me communicate in a direct and universal way. When I’m creating, I don’t think in terms of genres; I think in terms of feeling, melody, and honesty. These styles naturally coexist because they all come from emotion. I just let them meet organically
Guitar Thrills: Tone is a big part of identity for guitarists. How have you developed your sound, and what does it say about who you are as an artist today?
Rayane: I’ve had many influences since childhood, and sharing the stage with guitarists I admire has shaped me deeply. My guitar hero has always been Stevie Ray Vaughan, but I understand that every artist needs to develop their own musical identity. I let mine emerge naturally. I absorb references, I listen to everything, and I allow those influences to transform rather than define me. My guitar phrases don’t come only from other guitarists, but also from sung melodies. Sometimes I sing the way I play, and I play the way I sing and that dialogue between voice and guitar is what has been shaping my sound and my identity as an artist.then the very next year they were massive.
Guitar Thrills: As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated guitar world, how has that experience influenced your confidence, resilience, and artistic voice?
Rayane:It’s still challenging and it’s structural. Men in the music industry often assume they understand better than I do how I should sound on the guitar, how my amplifier should be set, or whether I should use more effects on a wah-wah. I could say this is normal, but I don’t want to normalize it. The challenge of being a woman who plays electric guitar and plays it well is doubly demanding. Haters, especially on Instagram, are always ready to attack whenever they see me wearing anything more sensual, using that as a justification to claim that I’m not truly talented, but simply a beautiful woman. But in the end, it’s important to say this ironically, if necessary: it is possible to be beautiful and play the guitar really fucking well. And I can wear whatever I consider appropriate for myself on stage or on my social media. After all, my guitar, my sound, and my body are mine therefore, I choose how I play, how I shape my tone, and how I dress.
Guitar Thrills: Your performances often balance technical precision with emotional storytelling. Which matters more to you in the moment, and why?
Rayane: When I’m playing, I enter a meditative state. Music, for me, is deeply spiritual. Technique is just the path that allows me to learn how to speak this language a universal one and I find that truly incredible. On stage, I’m speaking freely, with myself, while connecting with the audience and with the friends who are playing alongside me. That feeling is all that matters to me. All the technical preparation exists so that this state can happen
Guitar Thrills: Brazil has a rich musical heritage. How does your cultural background influence the way you approach the guitar and songwriting?
Rayane: Brazil has an incredibly rich musical heritage, and coming from the Northeast has shaped me deeply. I first learned how to improvise on an instrument called the mandolin, playing a genre known as choro, which is also strongly connected to bossa nova. The harmonic minor scale paths that are very common in this tradition influenced me a lot, and they naturally found their way into how I approach the electric guitar today.
Guitar Thrills: Many young players look up to you as proof that honoring the past doesn’t limit creativity. What advice would you give newcomers trying to find that balance?
Rayane: I would say: work on your music out of love, first and foremost. And because of that, don’t be afraid to express yourself that’s the only way to develop a truly unique identity. The world doesn’t need more of the same artists; we need different voices, artists who aren’t just repeating what already exists.
Guitar Thrills: How do live performances shape your evolution as a guitarist compared to studio work?
Rayane: It’s completely different. The stage has always been my greatest school. Guitar licks, improvised themes, and even vocal interpretation all sound different live. There’s no second chance on stage and that’s what makes it magical.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve gained visibility through major platforms while maintaining artistic integrity. How do you protect your creative vision as your audience grows?
Rayane: I’ve always kept my feet firmly on the ground. Opportunities come, I get to play on big stages, and I constantly try to remind myself why I chose this path in the first place. That’s what truly matters to me.
Guitar Thrills: Looking ahead, are there any upcoming projects albums, singles, collaborations, or tours that you’re especially excited about?
Rayane: Yes - I’m really excited about what’s coming next. On January 23, 2026, I’ll be releasing the first single from a five-track EP. The song is called “Eu e o Som”, and it blends Portuguese and English. It’s a blues track with deeply engaging arrangements. The first EP will be released shortly after, in February, followed by a second EP in the month after. The sound remains strongly rooted in blues, but with many soul and R&B influences woven throughout.
Guitar Thrills: Are there specific guitar, gear, or lifestyle brands you’re interested in working with or already collaborating with as your career evolves?
Rayane: Many guitar brands have reached out to us, and we are just a few weeks away from announcing a truly major partnership, on a global scale.
I recently became part of Laney Amplification’s Global Artist Team, which made me feel very humbled given Laney’s long and respected history. In terms of other audio gear and equipment, we have also recently signed partnerships with Warm Audio for cables and guitar pedals, and with a company called Enya Music, which developed a very interesting smart guitar, embedded with a speaker and effects, which I mainly use for studying.
Guitar Thrills: When listeners hear you play for the first time, what do you hope they feel or understand about you as a guitarist and artist?
Rayane: Honestly, I just hope they feel connected to me, and that they can feel what I’m feeling when I’m playing and singing. recreating the past, but in carrying forward its fearless approach to expression. In a constantly shifting musical landscape, grunge remains a reminder that authenticity will always resonate louder than trends.
Conclusion
In an era where speed and spectacle often overshadow substance, Rayane Fortes stands as a reminder of why the guitar endures. Her playing speaks the language of the past — shaped by blues honesty, rock conviction, and jazz curiosity — yet it never feels confined by nostalgia. Instead, those influences become raw material, transformed through lived experience, cultural identity, and fearless self-expression.
Rayane represents a new lineage of guitarists who understand that innovation is strongest when it grows from deep roots. She doesn’t chase trends; she converses with history, answering classic voices with a tone unmistakably her own. Each note carries intention, each phrase a sense of place — proof that tradition is not something to escape, but something to carry forward with purpose. As her journey continues to unfold, Rayane Fortes is not simply redefining what a modern guitarist can sound like — she is redefining who gets to shape the future of the instrument. Grounded in respect, driven by curiosity, and fueled by authenticity, her path signals a future where the guitar remains timeless precisely because artists like her refuse to let it stand still.
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