Manuella Blackburn was born in London in 1984. She went on to gain a bachelors degree in Music at The University of Manchester followed by a Masters in Electroacoustic Composition, gaining a Distinction and the Peter J Leonard Composition Prize. She has completed a PhD at the University of Manchester with Dr Ricardo Climent’s supervision, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Manuella is now as a lecturer in music technology at Liverpool Hope University.

Successes include First Prize for her work Vista Points in the 10th Musica Viva Electroacoustic Music Competition, 2009, Portugal, and Grand Prize in the Digital Arts Awards, Japan for Kitchen Alchemy. She has received Honorary Mentions in the CMMAS competition in Mexico and in the VII CIMESP (Concurso Internacional de Musica Eletroacustica de Sao Paulo 2007. Other awards include First Prize for her acousmatic work, Causal Impacts, in the 7th Musica Viva Electroacoustic Competition 2006, Portugal 2nd Prize in the Diffusion Competition, Limerick, Selection in the 2006 Bourges International Electroacoustic Music and Sonic Arts Competition, and the Public Prize in the CEMJKO competion in Brazil.

Manuella is also a member of The Splice Girls live laptop improvisation duo, who have been performing together since 2006. Together with Dr Diana Simpson Salazar they utilize tools built in Max MSP to create messed up loops and shimmering soiundscapes. They regularly perform at experimental music events. Highlights include a ‘sonic ferry’ at the Sonic Arts Network in Plymouth and Florida at the Atlantic Centre for the Arts (2008).