Raja Kumari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raja Kumari
Kumari at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles California
Background information
Birth name	Svetha Yallapragada Rao
Born	(1986-01-11) January 11, 1986 (age 39) Claremont, California, United States
Genres	Hip hop Pop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, keyboards, guitar
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Godmother Records Previously: Epic Records, Mass Appeal Records
Associated acts	Divine, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony, Fall Out Boy, Gwen Stefani, Knife Party, Sean Garrett, Shannon K, Deep Jandu, Sidhu Moosewala

Raja Kumari, whose real name is Svetha Yallapragada Rao, is a talented American rapper, singer, and songwriter. She was born on January 11, 1986, in Claremont, California. She is well-known for working with many famous artists like Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, and Fall Out Boy. As a songwriter, she won a BMI Pop Award in 2016.

Early Life and Background

Raja Kumari, born Svetha Yallapragada Rao, grew up in Claremont, California. Her family comes from Andhra Pradesh, India. Her parents helped her connect with her Indian heritage. She began training as an Indian classical dancer at just five years old.

Growing up, Raja Kumari found it challenging to be a South Indian girl in Los Angeles. When she was in fifth grade, she discovered hip hop music. By age 14, she was a skilled freestyle MC, known as "Indian Princess" or "Raja Kumari." She is trained in Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Bharatanatyam dance styles. She has performed many times in Hyderabad, India.

Helping Others Through Music

Raja Kumari has used her music to help others. She has supported building a hospital in Bangalore and a meditation hall in Hyderabad. These projects were for the Vegesna Foundation, which helps children with physical disabilities. For her efforts, she received the Kohinoor Award for excellence in classical arts.

Music Career and Achievements

Raja Kumari has written or performed on many popular songs. She helped write Fall Out Boy's hit song "Centuries." She also contributed to songs for artists like Gwen Stefani and Fifth Harmony. In 2016, she was honored at the BMI Pop Awards for co-writing "Centuries."

She has worked with many important people in the music industry. These include producers like Timbaland and artists like A. R. Rahman. In 2018, she worked with the rapper Divine on songs like "Roots" and "City Slums." She also made a special appearance in the movie Gully Boy. In 2019, she sang in her mother tongue, Telugu, for the song "Attention Everybody." This song was a tribute to the actor Venkatesh Daggubati.

Raja Kumari has been nominated three times for an MTV European Music Award for Best India Act. She also co-hosted the American Music Awards Pre-Show. She was chosen as the face of MAC Cosmetics' holiday campaign. In 2019, she was a judge on MTV Hustle, a rap battle TV show.

In 2022, Raja Kumari started her own music label called Godmother Records. In 2023, she worked with Kshmr on the song "All Fall Down." In 2024, she collaborated with Stefflon Don on "Renegade" for the TV series Arcane. In 2025, she won an American Music Award for her vocals in "Renegade (We Never Run)" from Arcane League of Legends: Season 2. This made her the first person of Indian descent to win this award.

Discography

Film Songs

EPs and Mixtapes

Singles and Collaborations

Songwriting Credits

Filmography

Television Appearances

KALKI Fashion worked with Raja Kumari to create a special clothing collection.