What we stand for.
Unleashing creativity and diversity in the guitar world
Riffarella is dedicated to empowering and celebrating guitar players who have been historically underrepresented in major publications. We strive to be an inclusive online community that provides resources and inspiration for guitar players of all backgrounds, including women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and beyond, particularly in the metal, punk and alternative music scenes.
Riffarella highlights interviews with guitar players, luthiers, and people working in the guitar industry. Additionally, we provide a platform for job hunters to find work within the music product industry. Our goal is to foster a welcoming and supportive environment that promotes diversity, creativity, and innovation in the world of guitar playing and for those working in the music industry.
Riffarella was founded in 2023 by Monique Hernandez-Fuentes, who goes by “Mosahefu” for all her creative music projects. Born in the Bay Area as a first generation Mexican American, she began playing guitar at the age of 7.
At the age of 14, she began working in the music industry at Gelb Music Teaching Institute as a receptionist. In 2014, she became Shop Manager at San Francisco Guitarworks, learning lutherie and guitar repair from esteemed luthiers: Geoff Luttrell, Thomas Nguyen, Jake Palladino, Mike Gardner, Phillip Milner and Lewis Santer. Since then, she has worked at EMG Pickups, Guitar Tricks, Gimme Radio, and Seymour Duncan. She has written numerous articles for Guitar Magazine, Reverb, Harmony Central and Effects Bay.
Outside of work, Monique writes music for her Bay Area-based blackgaze project, Embrium. She loves spending time with her husband and cat and enjoys nature, gardening and travel.
She has previously supported/been involved with the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp, the Color of Music Collective, SoundGirls, Womens Audio Mission and MusiCares.