Cameron Rafati

Los Angeles based Cameron Rafati, began his musical journey at the age of thirteen years old when he picked up his uncle’s dusty guitar. Realizing that his passion existed within the realm of song playing, Rafati began to pursue his musical interests by attempting to follow in the footsteps of his rock idols and form a band for the 7th Grade Talent Show. His efforts to rock the school auditorium with fellow junior high band mates resulted in the rejection of his peers and the eventual pressure to become an athlete due to his 6’6” stature. Though he replaced the guitar with a basketball for the next several years, Rafati did not forget his passion for songwriting. “The jocks and their little prepubescent minions were booing so loud that I stopped singing, lowered my head in shame and exited stage right as the band slowed to a sad dissipating halt.” After High school, Rafati moved to Los Angeles and began attending the University of Southern California, where he formed a band called Vertices, a group that ultimately broke up after a three-year stint together. Following the demise of Vertices, Rafati once again felt that he needed to be “realistic” about his goals and moved to Texas where he put on wranglers, cowboy boots, adopted a Texan drawl, and entered into the world of door-to-door sales. Though Rafati became a highly successful salesman, he continued to feel as if something was missing. Rafati ultimately moved back to California and began working as a self-employed dating coach for older women who wanted to attract younger men. “It got creepy after a while and I honestly still don’t know what the hell I was thinking” Tired of trying to reinvent the wheel, Rafati dropped the Texan accent, and the cougar-coaching act, and decided to re-connect with his true identity; that of a songwriter. Since his decision to dive head-first into the world of music, Rafati has been rewarded with nothing but positive feedback, a growing fanbase, and a “Best Score” nomination during the 2008 Sundance Film Festival for his “Lost In Translation”inspired ballad, “53RD Story.” Rafati’s nomination led to the prestigious invitation to come back to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, this time working as an Official Artist, where he played ten shows in eight days in his home state. Flying high from his experiences during the festival, Rafati made the decision to temporarily relocate himself back in Utah to work with acclaimed producer, Scott Wiley. While in the studio, Rafati experienced incredible hardships and emotional anguish as he watched his mother suffer an unexpected and life altering stroke, and lie in the hospital with the odds of a successful outcome highly unlikely. However, with a hopeful heart, Rafati cared for his mother while simultaneously taking his pain and utilizing it as the driving force behind his studio sessions. “I remember the second day after mom’s stroke, I left the booth in the middle of a vocal take and walked into the men’s restroom and completely broke down to the point that I was lying on the floor…all of a sudden, someone walked in and awkwardly hesitated as he saw this massive dude try and play off the fact that he was crying on the floor. He left shortly after. I got up, had a chuckle in the mirror, and went back into the booth thinking ‘this ones gonna be good for the papers’”. Rafati’s escape back into music has led to the successful completion, and June 2009 release of his self-titled, debut album. Filled with raw emotion, catchy tunes, and ironic lyrics, Cameron Rafati’s album is an eclectic creation that anyone who is a fan of music can relate to. With a completed album, an increasingly recovering mother, and an ever-growing fan base, it is apparent that Cameron Rafati is on his way to becoming one of the best new independent and savvy artists in the emerging industry.