Belgian-born Rafaël Leloup graduated from the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with “Grande Distinction” in classical composition. He went on to refine his craft across Europe and the United States, studying composition at the Conservatorio di Musica di Bologna in Italy, accordion at the Conservatoire Royal de Mons in Belgium, and film scoring at New York University. Along the way, he earned recognition from institutions including the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, the Belgian Vocation Foundation, SPES Foundation, the Los Angeles Film Music Foundation, the Wurlitzer Foundation, the Manhattan Producers Alliance, ASCAP, and NYU.

Deeply drawn to the emotional and sonic possibilities of cinema, Rafaël has developed a distinctive voice as a film composer. He is particularly passionate about crafting scores rich in texture—blending evocative soundscapes with lyrical, expressive musical lines. His work often features experimental uses of the accordion, transforming the instrument into something both intimate and unexpected.

He has contributed to a range of acclaimed independent films, including The Other Lamb (directed by Malgorzata Szumowska and produced by the team behind Whiplash, Drive, and Nightcrawler), HBO Max’s Pubertat, Netflix’s Circus Of Books, Lionsgate’s Consumed for the Twilight Saga, and But Not For Me, which won Best Original Score at the Brooklyn Film Festival. His projects and collaborations have been showcased at prestigious venues such as MoMA, Berlinale, SXSW, BFI London, Tribeca, and Toronto International Film Festival, and have been featured in major outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Variety, Smithsonian Channel, and MTV.

In 2013, Rafaël was nominated for Best Young European Composer at the World Soundtrack Awards. He was selected for the Berlinale Talents program in 2016, and in 2018, he became a voting member of the World Soundtrack Academy.