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Platinum blonde and glittering from her signature sparkly bindi to toe, Rhea Raj is an it-girl in the making. She’s unapologetic; from her honest, sensual lyricism to her proud embrace of her South Asian heritage, the diasporic singer-songwriter displays a captivating confidence that keeps reeling us in for more.
Raj first emerged on the scene as a fresh-faced fifteen-year-old on American Idol. With hair down to her waist and the vocal maturity of someone double her age, she kickstarted her career with an impressive set of yeses across the board. Though she didn’t make it to the show’s final rounds, the experience kickstarted her musical career as the teenager flourished on social media and began to drop original music. Suffice it to say, Rhea Raj is not new to the scene.
She’s been honing her craft for over a decade, ultimately bringing us to her glamorous pop persona today. The release of her debut album brought afoot a new era for Raj. “I always want to keep pushing my own musical boundaries and HUNTER is my boldest work yet,” says Raj. The pop project ties in dance and hip-hop elements, balancing her palpable allure with a playful energy. The titular opening track’s industrial beat and raspy vocals are a daring introduction to the album, showing off a Rhea Raj who has clearly matured since her previous releases. Raj’s sultry vocals, layered vocal samples, and punchy beats then carry us through a sonically cohesive yet diverse body of work.
“It’s reminiscent of my previous eras, but injected with a whole new sense of self and confidence.”
Rhea Raj on her debut album HUNTER for Homegrown
The third track, ‘MESSY’, is a tongue-in-cheek earworm (its chorus has been stuck in my head all week) using autotune and multilayered harmonies to elevate the otherwise simple beat before diving headfirst into an electronic dance extended outro. The music video shows Rhea as a cheerleader, her team ripping off their coach’s regular clothes to transform him into a DJ and their football field into a club as the beat drops: a perfect visual encapsulation of the sonic party Rhea has managed to cultivate.
My personal favourite track on the album, ‘DIGITAL BABE’, is Raj at her best. The song’s pulsating beat and vibrant synths couple perfectly with her rich vocal tone. As I write this paragraph, I find myself distracted by her skilful falsetto in the second verse and the beat’s satisfying syncopation, my head bobbing along instead of finding words to put down on the page. The ‘Tamed’ version of the song is an equal treat, spotlighting Raj’s gorgeous voice against the light strum of an acoustic guitar. Needless to say, both versions of ‘DIGITAL BABE’ have found their way into my regular Spotify rotation.
In her latest music video for track 7, ‘LIGHTS OUT’, we find Raj at the heart of a party, cutting between VHS footage, film photos of her having a blast and choreographed sequences. From my first listen, I was struck by the vocal sample that repeats throughout the song for its melodic similarity to the Indian classical sound. “It’s honestly just something that comes out organically because of my diverse musical influences,” explains Raj. It shows us the creative power of multiculturalism even when it isn’t being evoked consciously.
Her style similarly draws from South Asian influences and this is made clear by the close-up of her signature Om necklace during the first five seconds of the music video and the bindi proudly adorning her face. Even her adorable hot pink set is made out of a repurposed saree, highlighting a love for her heritage even in the most inconspicuous of ways.
“I love 2000s Bollywood movies and Y2K Hollywood glam so finding my own way to fuse both of those visual worlds is where I live.”
Rhea Raj for Homegrown
This amalgamation of cultural identities through fashion is all too familiar to the diasporic Indian, and something I can deeply relate to. Wearing bindis to school or bangles with my mini-skirt was not just an act of cultural celebration, but an act of reclamation. It’s inspiring to watch someone take ownership of their identity on the global stage and is one of the many reasons I and other young brown girls might feel drawn to artists like Rhea Raj.
“It’s an honour when I meet brown girls and they tell me that my music or videos have made them feel more confident and proud of their identity in some way.”
Rhea Raj for Homegrown
Despite growing up in America, Raj embodies an unquestionably Indian ethos and we have always understood the importance of unabashed fun. Bollywood is overflowing with it, all glitzy sets and huge musical numbers that leave no dancefloor empty. In a post-Brat world, it seems the rest of the world is catching up to our understanding that flashy indulgence isn’t vapid or overstated, but rather, a much-needed escape.
“I hope to break barriers for the next generation of South Asians in entertainment and beyond,” asserts Raj as she signs off. Based on what we’ve seen thus far, we have no doubt she will do just that.
Watch the 'LIGHTS OUT' music video below.
