Raja Kumari

“Make sure you don’t get in our way,” sings Raja Kumari. “Make sure you don’t.”

Indian-American rapper RAJA KUMARI is known for many things – her award winning songwriting, an Apple Music Beats 1 show, and of course, her widely acclaimed music which has taken her all around the world. Originally from Claremont, California, the artist started her career performing Indian classical dance and began songwriting and releasing music after graduating university. Now, amidst great praise and anticipation, Kumari has finally released her debut EP, BLOODLINE.

BLOODLINE beautifully embodies Kumari’s bold, passionate sound and illustrates the artist’s impressive range. The pulsing beat and hypnotic instrumentals behind “SHOOK” beautifully compliment “KARMA’s” feel good sound and clever lyrics. A song writer by nature, Kumari’s lyrics are always as topical and political as they are catchy; in her hit song “ROBIN HOOD,” for example, the artist importantly sings “how many wars to make the peace?”

Kumari’s Indian heritage is clearly imbued in every one of her songs. Not only does the artist make reference to many Hindu deities as well as other aspects of Indian culture throughout her music, she also incorporates traditional Indian instruments into her songs.

“These were battle anthems inspired by what I was going through during mytime in India,” Kumari confirms. “My Indian heritage covers everything from myfashion to movement, melodies, and my vibe.”

Kumari’s talent extends beyond her sound; in 2018, the artist further brought fans into her world through the release of the “SHOOK” music video. Through bold colors and passionate dancing, Raja perfectly illustrated her talent, drive, and complete joy in her music.

Before BLOODLINE’s release, Kumari made a significant career as a songwriter, collaborating with artists such as Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony, and Fall Out Boy. The artist also received the BMI Pop Award in 2016 and was nominated for a Grammy in 2015 for her songwriting contributions.

76The artist speaks to her transition from songwriter to singer, noting that her past experiences have shaped and informed her performances today. “As a songwriter, I learned a lot and became more confident on the mic,” says Kumari. “That helped me become fearless and now it’s encouraged me to become a better artist and better performer.”

Kumari has taken these performing skills to use and is currently on tour both across India and across the globe. “My favorite part of tour is being able to connect with people.,” she remarks. “It’s so inspiring to see your own lyrics sung back to you, but even more empowering to hear people’s stories about how the music related to their lives, and how the message affected them.”

Aside from touring, the artist is balancing quite a few other projects. Kumari recently launched her own Apple Music Beats 1 show called The New India that showcases a range of Indian music and artists to a large audience across the

globe. Kumari speaks to her experience working on the show, noting, “I’ve always wanted to be a curator of culture, and it was important for me to hear Indian music around the world. Working with Apple Music was a dream and such a fun experience.”

Although Kumari has already accomplished a ton, this ambitious young artist is hungry for more. The rapper hopes to continue touring, connecting with fans, and of course, making music.

“I hope my music career takes me all around the world,” Kumari admits. “I’d love to connect with people in Australia, Europe, Malaysia, Africa, South America – I’d just love to go to every continent and spread my music and my joy.”

Raja Kumari is a force to be reckoned with; she is doing something different and simply won’t apologize for it. Be sure to give BLOODLINE as this artist is someone you don’t want to miss.