{{Short description|American singer-songwriter (born 2000)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox person | caption = | birth_name = Rhea Sri Rajagopalan<ref name=ASCAP>{{Cite web |title=Rajagopalan Rhea Sri |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/writer/729162631/RAJAGOPALAN%20RHEA%20SRI |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=ASCAP}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|4|5}}<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/DIEjowDJ3Ri/?igsh=cWN4cjQ5cW12NXVh</ref> | birth_place = [[Stamford, Connecticut]], U.S. | alma_mater = [[New York University Tisch School of the Arts]] | relatives = [[Lara Raj]] (sister) | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}} | years_active = 2016–present<ref name=":0" /> | awards = | website = | module = {{Infobox musical artist | embed = yes | instrument = Vocals | genre = {{hlist|[[Pop music|Pop]]|[[electropop]]<ref name="RollingStone" />}} | website = {{URL|rhearaj.com}} }} }}
'''Rhea Sri Rajagopalan''' (born April 5, 2000), known professionally as '''Rhea Raj''', is an American singer and songwriter. She released her first album, ''Hunter'', in 2024.
== Early life == Rhea Raj was born in [[Connecticut]] to Indian parents, Kavita Raj and Sri Rajagopalan. Her parents are both ethnically [[Tamils|Tamil]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Talawadekar |first=Vaishnavi Nayel |date=2025-11-18 |title=Rhea Raj is making pop music for the girls that pop music left out |url=https://www.vogue.in/content/rhea-raj-is-making-pop-music-for-the-girls-that-pop-music-left-out |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=Vogue India |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Poorvaja |first=S. |date=2025-12-30 |title=Rhea Raj on her love for Chennai, the Commotion tour, and what made 2025 special |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/rhea-raj-and-lara-raj-of-katseye-in-chennai/article70453042.ece |access-date=2026-05-09 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> She grew up in [[Plano, Texas]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Meet Rhea Raj - Voyage LA Magazine {{!}} LA City Guide |url=http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-rhea-raj-rhea-raj-misschief-records-nyc-la/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323070002/http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-rhea-raj-rhea-raj-misschief-records-nyc-la/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=2025-08-31 |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref> Her mother ran a [[Bharatanatyam|Bharatnatyam]] dance school and her father worked in digital marketing.<ref name=":7" /> At two years old, she began learning classical Indian dance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Perry |date=2023-10-28 |title=Rhea Raj is one to watch |url=https://galoremag.com/rhea-raj-is-one-to-watch/ |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=Galore |language=en}}</ref> She began singing when she was 10 years old, and began writing songs when she was 11 years old.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-03 |title=Rhea Raj {{!}} New Visual "Venom" & South Asian Roots |url=https://www.flaunt.com/blog/rhea-raj-venom |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=Flaunt}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Ashlee |date=2021-10-18 |title=Rhea Raj |url=https://www.euphoriazine.com/blog/2021/10/interviews-rhea-raj/ |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=Euphoria}}</ref> Her younger sister, [[Lara Raj|Lara]], is part of the girl group [[Katseye]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-lara-raj-lara-raj-hollywood/|title=Meet Lara Raj|website=Voyage LA Magazine|date=July 30, 2020|access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":7" />
== Career == === 2016: ''American Idol'' === Raj appeared in the [[American Idol (season 15)|fifteenth season]] of ''[[American Idol]]'' in 2016. She progressed from the audition stage but failed to pass the Hollywood Week round.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/idol-worship/6843764/american-idol-recap-auditions|title='American Idol' Recap: Fourth Night of Auditions Returns to Little Rock and Denver|date=January 14, 2016|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 22, 2020|archive-date=March 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322072130/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/idol-worship/6843764/american-idol-recap-auditions|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://urbanasian.com/entertainment/2018/04/ex-american-idol-contestant-rhea-raj-talks-new-music-feminism-and-more/|title=Ex American Idol Contestant Rhea Raj Talks New Music, Feminism and More!|date=April 17, 2018|website=Urban Asian|language=en-US|access-date=March 22, 2020}}</ref>
=== 2018–present: Solo career=== After graduating high school, Raj founded the [[record label]] Misschief Records in 2018.{{better source|date=May 2026}}<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|last=Pawa|first=Anjana|title=Rhea Raj: 'I want to share my culture with the world'|url=https://joysauce.com/rhea-raj-i-want-to-share-my-culture-with-the-world/|work=[[JoySauce]]|date=December 19, 2023|access-date=February 23, 2026|language=en-US}}</ref> Her mother runs the label with her.{{citation needed|date=May 2026}} Raj began her career as a solo artist in 2019 with the singles "2AM" and "You're a Star".<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Rhea Rajagopalan p/k/a Rhea Raj |url=https://www.songhall.org/profiles/rhea-raj |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Songwriters Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2020, she was selected by [[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI]] to receive the Abe Olman Scholarship Award from the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]].<ref name=":6" />
She studied at the [[New York University Tisch School of the Arts]]' Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music where she met [[Jacob Kasher Hindlin]].<ref name=":5" /> She later signed with Hindlin's publishing company, Livelihood Music Company, for representation as a writer and producer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Rhea Raj |url=https://livelihoodmc.com/rhea-raj-2/ |access-date=2026-02-24 |language=en-US|website=Livelihood Music Company}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
In 2023, Raj was selected as the [[Spotify]] x [[Gold House]] Artist of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rhea Raj |url=https://goldhouse.org/people/rhea-raj/ |access-date=2026-02-24 |website=Gold House |language=en}}</ref>
In 2024, Raj released her debut studio album, ''Hunter'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://urbanasian.com/entertainment/2019/06/royalty-by-upsidedown-happy-singh-rhea-raj-will-make-you-shake-a-leg/|title=Royalty By UpsideDown, Happy Singh & Rhea Raj Will Make You Shake A Leg|date=June 10, 2019|website=Urban Asian|language=en-US|access-date=March 22, 2020|archive-date=March 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322003654/https://urbanasian.com/entertainment/2019/06/royalty-by-upsidedown-happy-singh-rhea-raj-will-make-you-shake-a-leg/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="RollingStone">{{cite magazine |last1=Mier |first1=Tomás |title=Rising Pop Star Rhea Raj Dances Through a Moody Sci-Fi World in Flirtatious Video for 'Hush' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rhea-raj-drops-hush-video-album-hunter-1235046974/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 27, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2025 |archive-date=June 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627160631/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rhea-raj-drops-hush-video-album-hunter-1235046974/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and a stripped down version, ''Hunter (Tamed edition)''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Year of the Hunter |url=https://bazaarvietnam.vn/year-of-the-hunter-rhea-raj/ |website=Harper's Bazaar Việt Nam |date=December 4, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2025 |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204190545/https://bazaarvietnam.vn/year-of-the-hunter-rhea-raj/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2025, Raj released her follow-up EP, ''Commotion''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelunacollective.co/journal/qa-rhea-raj/ |title=Q&A: Rhea Raj Burns It All Down and Rebuilds in “COMMOTION” EP|website=Luna Collective}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asiablooming.com/2025/10/19/rhea-raj-announces-first-headline-tour/ |title=Rhea Raj Announces First Headline Tour |website=Asia Blooming}}</ref> She performed "Haute Couture" alongside Aliyah's Interlude at [[Lollapalooza]] in 2025.<ref name=":7" />
In January 2026, Raj became the first artist signed to 5 Junction Management, a subsidiary of [[Warner Music Group]] led by [[DesiHits]] founder Anjula Acharia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2026-01-06 |title=Anjula Acharia Doubles Down on Warner Music Partnership, Launches 5 Junction Management With ‘American Idol’ Star Rhea Raj Signing (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2026/music/news/anjula-acharia-5-junction-management-rhea-raj-1236624344/ |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> == Discography == ;Studio albums
* ''Hunter'' (2024)
;Extended plays * ''Commotion'' (2025)
;Singles
*"2AM" (with [[UpsideDown (DJ)|UpsideDown]]) (2019) <ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Rhea Raj Artist page on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/au/artist/rhea-raj/644922067 |website=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref> *"MVP" (2021)<ref name=":2" /> *"Venom" (2021)<ref name=":2" /> *"In Ur Hands" (2021)<ref name=":2" /> *"Outside" (2022)<ref name=":2" /> *"Taste That (Mwah)" (2023)<ref name=":2" /> *"Atmosphere" (2023)<ref name=":2" /> *"Oops! Ur Single Now" (2023)<ref name=":2" /> *"OUT OF BODY" (2023)<ref name=":2" /> *"MESSY" (2024)<ref name=":2" /> *"HUSH" (2024)<ref name=":2" /> *"DIGITAL BABE" (2024)<ref name=":2" /> *"PRAY ON IT" (Feat [[Talwiinder]] & [[Yung Raja]]) (2025)<ref name=":2" /> *"Haute Couture" (with [[Aliyah's Interlude]]) (2025)<ref name=":2" /> *"Mumbai" (2025)<ref name=":2" /> *"Haute Couture with [[Aliyah's Interlude]] (Slush Puppy Remix)" (2025)<ref name=":2" /> *"Killer" (2025)<ref name=":2" />
;Features (tracks Rhea features on) *"fw me(dirty)" [[Knock2]] (2025)<ref name=":1" /> {| class="wikitable" |+Songwriting Credits !Year !Artist !Album !Song |- |2025 |[[Knock2]] and Rhea Raj | | |- |2025 |Rhea Raj and [[Aliyah's Interlude]] | |"Haute Couture" |- |2025 |[[Maroon 5]] featuring [[Lisa (rapper)|Lisa]] |''[[Love Is Like]]'' |"[[Priceless (song)|Priceless]]" |} *
== References == <references />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Raj, Rhea}} [[Category:2000 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Musicians from Stamford, Connecticut]] [[Category:Singers from New York City]] [[Category:Singers from New Jersey]] [[Category:Singer-songwriters from Connecticut]] [[Category:American women songwriters]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:American women pop singers]] [[Category:American people of Indian Tamil descent]] [[Category:American female models of Indian descent]] [[Category:American actresses of Indian descent]] [[Category:American singers of Indian descent]] [[Category:21st-century American women singers]] [[Category:New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumni]]