Rafi Hernandez went to Berklee a dreamer & graduated summa cum laude

When she was 18 years old, Raphaella Renee “Rafi” Ortega Hernandez arrived at Berklee College of Music in Boston to take up Music, major in Music Business/Management.

- BÜM D. TENORIO, JR.

Armed with talent, a dream and determination, she was all set to conquer a world 8,445 miles away from the comforts of home.

Now 22, Rafi, born to shine, conquered it and graduated summa cum laude (3.86 cumulative GPA) with a minor course in Psychology at “the world’s largest independent college of contemporary music.” She also finished her degree program in three and a half years instead of four.

“I chose Berklee because I wanted to create meaningful art and leave an impact through music. I believed Berklee was the place that could help me discover how to do that, not only academically, but through immersion in one of the most diverse and inspiring creative communities in the world,” Rafi told this writer.

Rafi is the daughter of my college dear friends Jovy Hernandez, the president and CEO of Metro Pacific AgroVentures, and Detdet Ortega Hernandez.

“I chose this course because I wanted to become a more well-versed artist who had the knowledge and capabilities to protect my own rights as an artist. Moreover, the marketing track covered how to promote my music and has helped me learn how to navigate my artistry like a business,” said Rafi, who finished high school with high honors from PAREF Woodrose School for Girls in Alabang in 2022.

A few years before she studied in Berklee, Rafi’s artistry was already gaining traction in the Philippines. At 15, she released her first song on Spotify and other digital streaming platforms titled “What Does It Cost.” It got 100,000 streams and after that, she continued to release more original music.