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Raja Kumari becomes first Indian-origin musician to win American Music Award
Born Svetha Yallapragada Rao in Claremont, California, Raja Kumari was raised in a Telugu family originally from Andhra Pradesh.
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Pranavi Sharma - Wed, 28, May 2025
- 03:14 EDT
- 26
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Raja Kumari. / Wikipedia
Indian-origin rapper and singer-songwriter Raja Kumari made history on May 26 night, becoming the first Indian-origin musician to win an American Music Award (AMA). The 51st edition of the awards ceremony took place in Los Angeles, where Kumari won for her work on Arcane League of Legends: Season 2.
Born Svetha Yallapragada Rao in Claremont, California, Raja Kumari was raised in a Telugu family originally from Andhra Pradesh. On May 27, the win was confirmed and widely celebrated, marking a significant moment for representation of South Asian artists in mainstream American music.
Kumari, 39, has steadily built a career blending hip-hop with Indian classical influences. She began performing as an Indian classical dancer at age five, trained by her parents who were deeply involved in preserving their cultural heritage.
“I found it tough and lonely as a South Indian girl growing up in Los Angeles,” she told Rolling Stone in an interview. That sense of cultural dislocation would later shape the hybrid style of her music and lyrics.
Professionally known for her collaborations with international stars like Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony, Sidhu Moosewala, Knife Party, and Fall Out Boy, Kumari also won a BMI Pop Award in 2016 for her songwriting.
The AMA win for Arcane League of Legends: Season 2 highlights her growing influence in both music and multimedia entertainment. She was nominated in a competitive field at one of the industry’s most-watched nights.
Raja Kumari holds a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies with a focus on South Asian religions—an academic interest that often threads its way through her lyrics and public persona.
Her appearance on the BBC Asian Network’s Bobby Friction show in 2016 introduced her to a wider South Asian audience, helping to cement her reputation as a bridge between two musical worlds.
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