Drake’s exclusive new Bösendorfer piano is the real star of the Toosie Slide video
Takashi Murakami-designed instrument boasts recording and playback technology
There are various things that most people consider when buying a piano - how much to spend and whether to go analogue or digital, for example - but Drake definitely isn’t most people.
So, when he decided to get himself a new ‘joanna’ for his Toronto mansion, he enlisted the help of architect Ferris Rafauli and Japanese designer Takashi Murakami, who came up with a special edition Bösendorfer Concert Grand 280VC that definitely qualifies as a ‘statement piece’.
The piano appears in the video for Toosie Slide, Drake’s viral TikTok hit, and features a leitmotif of skulls on the underside of the lid. This design also appears on the piano’s leg, while the sharps and flats on the keyboard adopt the same colour scheme.
Just three of the pianos were made, and all three are signed by Takashi Murakami. Drake’s model has Disklavier Enspire technology, which allows for playback of pieces from the Bösendorfer Library and the option to record, edit and hear his own playing.
• The best online piano lessons: top software, apps and websites
On the downside, Drake might struggle to fit his piano into his house if he’s ever forced to downsize, but the way his career is going right now, we doubt that’s going to be a problem any time soon.
Find out more on the Bösendorfer website.
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I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.
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