Mikhaila Smith is a South African composer and pianist based in New York City, known for her diverse contributions to film, the concert hall and interdisciplinary art. Her most recent work includes includes her score to feature film Carissa, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2024. She was also the featured composer at the renowned Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in 2023, where her commissioned work, Lighting Our Stories, had its world premiere. 

Smith’s interdisciplinary collaborations are notable, including her work with South African artist Mia Thom on installations such as Soil Lullaby, Attune and Idée Fixe. Her music has been exhibited in Galerie im Körnerpark in Berlin, JAG in Johannesburg, Everard Read in Cape Town, and at various festivals, demonstrating her ability to merge music with visual art. Currently signed to Platoon, Smith is set to release her debut solo piano album in 2025. 

She is an orchestrator at Joy Music House to which she is credited on scores such as Netflix’s Look Both Ways, Disney’s Rosaline and HBO Max’s Edge of the Earth, amongst others. Smith is an alumnus of the SCL New York Mentor Program and currently works for the organization as the social media manager of the New York Chapter. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in concert composition from the University of Cape Town and a Master’s degree in film scoring from New York University where her unique voice emerged, blending traditional techniques with modern sensibilities to create a distinctive sound. 

Smith’s artistic world involves storytelling, collaborating with other artists and immersing herself in worlds beyond this one through the powerful and expressive medium of music.