Raf

Raffaele Riefoli, known professionally as Raf, was born on 29 September 1959 in Margherita di Savoia, Apulia, Italy. He worked as a singer, songwriter, guitarist and bass player. His musical journey began in the early 1980s, and he gained national attention with the 1984 single "Self Control" and its subsequent cover by Laura Branigan, which established his presence on Italian radio. Raf’s first studio album, Self Control, was released the same year, followed by a series of studio albums that charted steadily: Svegliarsi un anno fa (1988), Cosa resterà… (1989), Cannibali (1993), Manifesto (1995), Iperbole (2001), Ouch! (2004), Numeri (2011), and Sono io (2015). Notable singles include "In tutti i miei giorni", "Un'emozione Inaspettata", "Come una danza" (duet with Umberto Tozzi), and "Cherie" (2022). He collaborated with prominent Italian artists such as Laura Pausini, Edoardo Bennato, and Jovanotti, and contributed vocals to the animated film Un monstre à Paris (2011). Raf’s work earned him multiple Festivalbar victories (1989, 1993) and consistent placement on the FIMI album charts, solidifying his role in contemporary Italian pop music. In 2026, he released the single "Ora e per sempre", which reached number 31 on Italian charts.