Raja Kumari recalls US Label ‘Exoticising’ her Bindi

Raja Kumari has long challenged the way the music industry views identity.

The Grammy-nominated artist has consistently pushed back against being boxed in by labels or stereotypes. For her, music is not only about global recognition but also about representing culture without compromise.

That struggle began early in her career.

When she was signed to a major American label in 2015, she was told she would “get more budget” if she “didn’t drop the bindi”.

Raja recalled: “Back then, it was about exoticising who I was, not celebrating it.”

Her refusal to let culture become costume has since defined her career:

“I didn’t want to wear my culture as a costume. I wanted to celebrate it. That’s why when I came to India, the liberation I felt as an artist was incredible.

“Here, I could reference a character like Meera and just name a song after her without over-explaining.”

Before carving her own path, Kumari was already writing for some of the biggest global acts.

She told Hindustan Times: “I got my first platinum record with Fall Out Boy. I wrote for Gwen Stefani and Fifth Harmony.

“During that time, I learned how people perceive music, but I also understood what was unique about me.

“My voice is distinct; it pokes through. So when people sampled me, I thought, if you can sample me, why not have me too.”

This now shapes her projects in India, with her album Kashi to Kailash putting spirituality at the centre.

“I’ve strung together the devotional songs across all my albums.

“I’m not keeping it in the background anymore; I’m bringing it to the forefront, being fearless about it.

“Even my voice, I embed frequencies and resonances to create trance states because that’s what music does to me.”

“Sound has always been healing. The bells in temples, the granite structures, they were designed to resonate at certain frequencies. I’d love to see a revival of that in modern music.”

Raja Kumari also believes the global stage is shifting, making space for India’s sound:

“We do not lack talent; we’re superfluous in talent.

“The pandemic proved that independent music could thrive, with King, Anuv Jain and AP Dhillon changing the scene.

“If we build the right infrastructure and celebrate our own sound, Indian music can become an export just like K-pop.”