He is the son of Joel Haroche. One of his paternal uncles is Nobel Prize winner in physics, Serge Haroche. In 2000, Raphael released his first album Hôtel de l'univers (the title is a tribute to Arthur Rimbaud), but it was not until three years later that he enjoyed his first mainstream success with the song Sur la Route, a duo with famous French singer Jean-Louis Aubert, included in his second album La Réalité. With this album, he chose folk music. In 2005, Raphael released his third album, Caravane, to huge critical acclaim and commercial success. He received three Music's Victories in 2006. In September 2006, Raphael released the double live album Résistance à la nuit featuring songs from his first three albums as well as anod to Ingrid Betancourt in the form ofthe songs La petite chanson and Ceci n'est pas un adieu. At the beginning of 2007, Raphael became a member of the supergroup Les Aventuriers d'un autre Monde with Jean-Louis Aubert, Alain Bashung, Cali, Daniel Darc, and Richard Kolinka. In February 2007, Raphael released his live acoustic album Une nuit au Châtelet which is partly a tribute to French singers such as Bernard Lavilliers, Gérard Manset, and Serge Gainsbourg. Amongst the many musicians workingon this project was ex-Da- vid Bowie pianist Mike Garson. Raphael's fourth studio album, Je sais que la terre est plate was released on 17 March 2008. This album featured the song Haïti, a collabora- tion with the Jamaican group Toots & the Maytals.