[4][6] Since Myspace did not support posting videos at that time, Rafael wrote JavaScript and HTML to showcase his songs through the RealPlayer media player plugin.

[6] Following several years of uploading videos, his music career began flourishing in 2009 and at the peak of his recognition, he was making in the low six figures.

[3][12] To stay connected with his viewers, he made posts on Twitter frequently and sought advice from them about the tempo and key for his piano playing when he livestreamed his performances.

[13] In a 2009 article in the Inland Empire Weekly, journalist Lilledeshan Bose wrote, "Rafael's songs, whether on the ukulele, guitar or piano, are made in the same vein: sweet pop ballads.

"[13] That year, Rafael was an unsuccessful contestant with his band at John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in the singing competition Kollaboration Acoustic III which seeks to raise awareness about Asian Americans in the performing arts.

[3] OC Weekly characterized his music as "pop in the vein of Jason Mraz or John Mayer with a slightly dancier, more-bubblegum-y feel".

[3] That year, Rafael routinely performed in various venues in the United States and the Philippines and landed a contract with a music management company.

[3] In 2011, he was a member of the AJ Rafael Band with Noah Bartfield on bass, Jesse Barrera on guitar, and Danny Morledge on drums.

[4] The album has 11 original songs that are all based on Rafael's past relationships and experiences: Here, Tonight; Emma Watson; Red Roses; We Could Happen; Without You; Mess We've Made; Five-Hundred Days; She Was Mine; When We Say; Starlit Nights; and Here All Alone PT 3.

[4][18] Along with a band that included Andrew Rhim on guitar, Noah Bartfield on bass, and Danny Morledge on drums, Rafael performed songs from the album in Southeast Asia and Australia.

[19] The Philippine Daily Inquirer reviewer Pocholo Concepcion found that Rafael "exuded charm and confidence as he played keyboards and sang tunes that were so honest, you had to listen and believe what he was saying" and the songs "hewed close to pop-rock with catchy mid-tempo beats, at times shifting gears to allow lead guitar solos".

[19] He worked with the actor Dante Basco and the production company Kinetic Films to create Red Roses The Movie, a musical that would have been inspired by his album with the same name and would have starred himself.

[6] In a 2012 interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Rafael said his music was influenced by Jason Mraz, John Mayer, and Christina Perri, as well as the Filipino artists Kitchie Nadal, South Border, Ice Seguerra, and Gary Valenciano.

[24] In June 2014, Rafael penned an open letter to his viewers announcing his indefinite pause from performing at live shows in August 2014.

[25] In an interview with the news website Rappler, Rafael said, "it's looking at these numbers and being like, 'How am I gonna turn this into financial support for me and my family?'

"[25] It was challenging for Rafael to make money from writing and performing original songs that were not released by a record label and he had personal justifications for his hiatus.

[27] Pacific Daily News reviewer Rocky Daleno said it "was a truly incredible experience and one of the best performances from a stateside artist Guam has had in several years".

[10] On an October 21, 2018, episode of the music TV show Coke Studio Philippines, Rafael performed with Moira Dela Torre.

[33] Crazy Talented Asians subsequently was relocated to the David Henry Hwang Theatre after East West Players began co-hosting it.

[34] Before 2010, Rafael performed his music on YouTube and Ustream for multiple charity events, including securing $8,000 that went to his church, $6,800 for a "Walk for Autism", and $4,000 for Typhoon Ketsana victims.

[13] After learning that his nephew was autistic, Rafael established Music Speaks, a yearly charity concert that focuses on informing people about autism.

[26] Rafael was one of the leaders of the "#WashTheHate" social media campaign launched on March 18, 2020, to bring attention to the racism against Asian Americans related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[36] After the police murder of George Floyd in 2020, Rafael said Asian Americans needed to "do better" in supporting people of color who are discriminated against.

[49] Rafael said about his father, "He brought music in our lives, and I want to show him that I can make a career out of it and support my family because he didn't feel like he was.

[53] In mid-2016, Rafael began dating Alyssa Navarro who in 2020 was a Walt Disney Studio employee in its "Multicultural Audience Engagement" organization.