Raja Kumari, born as Svetha Rao, is an Indian American songwriter and rapper, hailing from LA. She is best known for her songwriting, which earned her a Grammy nomination and clinched her a BMI 2016 Pop Song Writer Award. Most notably, she has worked with Fifth Harmony, Gwen Stefani, Fall Out Boy, Iggy Azalea and Timbaland.
Whilst she has made a name for herself as an award-winning songwriter, Raja is now venturing into the music world as an artist in her own right. Her debut EP The Come Up was recently released and is a splendid fusion of hip hop and classical Indian rhythms.
Of the EP, Raja said: “The Come Up is a collection of songs that mean a lot to me and the positive message that I want to share. I can’t wait to finally be able to share a body of my own work with people who love music.” From the off, The Come Up is an electric, powerful offering which represents the artist Raja wishes to be.
‘Tribe’ kicks off the EP, immediately hooking you in with a traditional Indian sound. The chorus is empowering, and it is without doubt one of Raja’s standout offerings. ‘Mute’ (featuring Elvis Brown) was one of Raja’s previously released singles, and is both sultry in sound and sassy in its lyrics. It’s a slower jam in comparison to ‘Tribe’, but is just as explosive.
‘The Come Up’ is a slower track, which offers plenty of breathy vocals from Raja. It’s got a chilled vibe, combining her slick raps and vocals. ‘Believe In You’, which was also previously released, is an inspiring track with an anthemic element to its chorus. We’re a big fan of the theme of empowerment which runs through the EP, and this is a great example of it.
The fifth track is ‘Meera’, which has a hypnotic vibe to it, and also has a great switch up during the latter half. ‘The City’ rounds off this powerful EP, and features Raja waxing lyrical over a chilled beat.
All six of the tracks bring something unique to The Come Up. Although we’d have perhaps preferred to hear a few more uptempo tracks, Raja has brought something great to the table. The fusion of hip hop and traditional Indian sounds is so effective and complements each other perfectly. We also adore the positivity and empowering message spread throughout.
There is no doubt that this EP is going to push Raja from the songwriter shadows and allow her to shine as an artist in her own right.