Born in Claremont, California, she was named Svetha Yellapragada Rao at birth. The 37-year-old singer took the stage name, Raja Kumari, at the age of 14. Today, she is a rapper and a songwriter in her own right, known in the music world for her fusion music. She mixes Indian classical music with hip-hop and pop genres of music seamlessly. Notable collaborations have been her work with Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Twin Shadow, Dirty Mouth and Fifth Harmony among others.
Raja Kumari has been nominated thrice for MTV European Music Awards in the Best India Act category. In 2016, she won the BMI Pop Award for songwriting category, and later in 2022, she released her record label named Godmother. Her record label has come about with the aim to identify budding talent in India. And probably the reason why Raja Kumari is now calling Mumbai her home.
In the Genes
The rapper has known the beat and the rhythm from the young age of six years having learnt Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance forms. She was already giving performances in the traditional Indian dance forms in India. In her early 20s, she began penning her own lyrics and recording the songs. The famous lyrics of hers ‘dot head eating samosas, too brown for the label…’ gave her a powerful streak of recognition which she perform during the Asian-American Pacific Islander Inaugural Ball: Breaking Barriers held in honor of the presidential inauguration ceremony for President Joe Biden.
A Songstress and A Fashionista Too
Her bold sense of style and fashion statement have always made Raja Kumari standout besides her magical music touch. Her much anticipated walkdown at the world’s most sought-after Cannes Film Festival is keeping her fans keeping their eyes peeled. Raja Kumari is loved all over the world for her musical genius, her encouraging standpoint that aims to bridge the skin colour gap and she is all set to utilise the event to draw attention to an artist and their work rather than where their origins are.