“My parents poured all their Indianness in me!” Raja Kumari talks about what makes her the bridge between the East and the West - Hindustan Times
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“My parents poured all their Indianness in me!” Raja Kumari talks about what makes her the bridge between the East and the West

Hindustan Times | By
Jan 31, 2019 04:20 PM IST

The Grammy-nominated Indian-American songwriter and rapper is collaborating with the gully boys of Mumbai

If you are not into the independent music scene, chances are the name Svetha Rao aka Raja Kumari will not ring a bell. That’s fine, because this 32-year-old Indian-origin American songwriter, rapper and recording artist is well-known in the land of her birth, the USA. She has collaborated with Gwen Stefani, Tricky Stewart, Fifth Harmony, Timbaland and A. R. Rahman, and her song written for Australian rapper Iggy Azalea even got a Grammy nomination.

Svetha Rao aka Rajakumari is an Indian-origin American songwriter, rapper and recording artist(Aalok Soni)
Svetha Rao aka Rajakumari is an Indian-origin American songwriter, rapper and recording artist(Aalok Soni)
“You don’t know how it feels like to be in a room full of people who look like you. I seldom had that growing up”
Raja Kumari gave her first hip-hop performance when she was 16. (Aalok Soni)
Raja Kumari gave her first hip-hop performance when she was 16. (Aalok Soni)
“One day I thought, if Gwen Stefani can sing what I am saying with my music and get applauded, why can’t I sing my own songs?”
While her music references are Dr Dre and Timbaland, her get-up is heavily influenced by her Indian roots (Aalok Soni)
While her music references are Dr Dre and Timbaland, her get-up is heavily influenced by her Indian roots (Aalok Soni)
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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Ananya Ghosh is an assistant editor with Hindustan Times Brunch. She has 10 years of experience as a journalist having worked as a copy editor/feature writer in various publications.

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