There is precious little information online about Raph. She grew up in Houston, Texas, spent several years living in New York and Los Angeles, and now calls Paris, the city where she was born, home. Aside from those basic facts, however, her life and burgeoning musical career hint at a rare talent.
Now in her late-twenties, the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist writes quiet confessionals about heartbreak, yearning and the intimate connection shared between those closest to us. From those big emotions she wrings songs of real gravity; at once searching and soulful and intensely introspective.
Her releases thus far—the poetic ballad “Au Revoir”, the luminous “Goodbye at the Door” and her most recent single, “A Quiet Night”—feel like the perfect opening chapters for an artist with something to say. These are songs meant to be heard alone, preferably through headphones. Memories weave with fantasies, reflections with fragments of narrative, in a quietly dramatic mosaic that is both vulnerable and empowering. As the last notes fade, what remains is a feeling for Raph’s true self. The sound is bold and confident, and it offers a blueprint for the album to come.
Thoughtful and direct in person, one gets the sense of an artist who has fully found her confidence and direction. There is no created persona here to live up to or outgrow. That sense of perspective and self- awareness imbues the music with a true freedom and honesty. It’s a real strength. Not only does it allow her the space to explore the full range of emotion she inhabits, when Raph says something, you know that she means it.