Tags: Rajakumari
Putting none of these bangers on ‘mute.’
Grammy-nominated songwriter Raja Kumari released her second collection of fusion pop songs last week. In addition to her popular singles “Mute” and “Believe in You,” The Come Up EP includes four brand new songs.
The Come Up engages heavily with Raja Kumari’s classical training as a kuchipudi and bharatnatyam dancer. Her music blends classical, Carnatic music with bass-heavy trap and pop beats to create deeply textured melodies.
In the music video which accompanied her single “Believe in You,” a young Raja Kumari is tapping out tala on stage. It cuts between her as a dancer in a school recital to her walking through the majestic Malibu Hindu Temple as Lakshmi incarnated.
Though grounded in deep tradition and borrowing from ingrained rap lore, Raja Kumari’s music moves easily between gritty and light.
Her song “In the City” begins with the infamous lines “To live and die in LA,” placing Tupac alongside Hindu prayer. It remains airy, though, like a love song.
Every song on the EP is inherently devotional — it’s all about Raja giving thanks and accepting the struggle she has ahead.
Listen to the The Come Up on Soundcloud.