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Raja Kumari becomes 1st Indian to win American Music Award: Always felt like an underdog, happy to bring the award home

As rapper Raja Kumari becomes first Indian to win an American Music Award, she explains how she manifested the win.

Updated on: May 28, 2025, 11:35:19 IST
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Indian origin singer-songwriter and rapper Raja Kumari has won at the American Music Awards (AMA) for Arcane League of Legends: Season 2 at the 51st AMA held in Los Angeles. She was nominated in the Favourite Soundtrack category, becoming the first Indian origin musician to be nominated for an AMA. Speaking about the win, she tells us, “Honestly, I’ve felt like an underdog in a lot of situations and all eyes on the underdog which is a lyric from City Slums. I’ve always had to believe in myself, and this win just confirms that belief and encourages me further. I’m so excited to bring this home for India.”

Raja Kumari
Raja Kumari

She adds, “I put a lot of Indian flavour into the song. I included a thal and really showcased my culture. So, for this to win, it just means that the times are changing and that people genuinely love our music. I can’t wait to show the world what I have planned next.”

Ask if she saw the win coming, and Raja Kumari says, “I felt it. Honestly, I felt like God told me it was mine. That might sound crazy, but I truly believed I could achieve it. To succeed, I think you first have to visualise yourself winning. I really wanted to see it. We worked so hard on the song, and it was incredible to see it reach the Top 10 on the Spotify Viral 50 chart. Having it become a part of so many people's lives — through reels, all the stories and more — I had a good feeling that it had a great chance.”

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Soumya Vajpayee

Soumya Vajpayee is the Senior Editor (Lifestyle & City) for Hindustan Times HT City (Mumbai and Pune) and writes on music, entertainment and lifestyle.

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