Rhea Raj
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
April 5, 2000
- Singer-songwriter
Rhea Raj | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rhea Sri Rajagopalan[1] April 5, 2000 Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Alma mater | New York University Tisch School of the Arts |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2016–present[2] |
| Relatives | Lara Raj (sister) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Website | rhearaj |
Rhea Sri Rajagopalan[2] (born April 5, 2000), known professionally as Rhea Raj, is an American singer-songwriter.[4] She is a Songwriters Hall of Fame scholarship award winner for 2020[5], and is the Spotify x Gold House Artist of the Year winner for 2023[6]. She released her first album, Hunter, in 2024.
Rhea Raj was born in Stamford, Connecticut, to Indian parents, Kavita Raj and Sri Rajagopalan. Her parents are both ethnically Tamil.[4] She grew up in Plano, Texas.[7] Her mother ran a Bharatnatyam dance school, which led Rhea to begin her interest in music.[8] She has been musically trained since age 10.[8][9] She studied at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts' Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music[10] where she met Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Jaime Hindlin who signed Rhea to their publishing company[11].
Her younger sister, Lara Raj, is also a singer, and is part of girl group Katseye.[12]
Career
2016: American Idol
Raj appeared in the fifteenth season of American Idol in 2016. She progressed from the audition stage but failed to pass the Hollywood Week round.[2][13]
2024–present: Hunter and Commotion EP
In 2024, Raj released her debut studio album, Hunter,[14][4][15] and a stripped down version, Hunter (Tamed edition).[16] In 2025, Raj released her follow-up EP, Commotion[17]. Its lead single "Haute Couture" with Aliyah's Interlude received a Fortnite emote. Later that year, Raj went on her first headlining tour to promote the EP.[18]