“Come Back And Give”: Raja Kumari Calls For Cultural Reciprocity In Music

On World Music Day, June 21, Loudest.in and exchange4media hosted a special webinar that spotlighted one of Indian music’s most distinctive voices, Raja Kumari. The Grammy-nominated rapper, singer, and classical dancer delivered a deeply personal and powerfully reflective keynote, tracing her creative and spiritual journey as an Indian-American artist straddling continents, cultures, and soundscapes.

Kumari opened by grounding her story in the diasporic experience. “We grew up with a time capsule of India,” she said, recalling her childhood in California, shaped by Kuchipudi dance, temple rituals, and the mythology of Arjun and Hanuman, not Batman and Superman. But even within that rich cultural inheritance, she confessed to feeling alienated from traditional devotional music. “I never studied Carnatic vocals. I experienced it through dance. I didn’t have the classical voice. And that made worship feel distant.”

That distance, however, became the fuel for her most ambitious artistic undertaking yet,Kashi to Kailash, a Sanskrit-based album she described as her “most authentic” project. Featuring original compositions rooted in mantras, ragas, and devotional themes, the album was born out of what she called a personal spiritual awakening. “I asked God, what do you want me to do next? And I heard the answer in the sound I felt at Gangotri, in the temples, in the streets. It wasn’t about trends. It was about truth.”

The project took a year and a half of introspection, pilgrimage, and reinvention. Raja Kumari collaborated with Puneri dhol players, flautists, tabla artists, and even danced with her own ghungroos on the track. “It was a breakthrough,” she said. “I faced my fear. For the first time, I used my voice not just to perform—but to worship.”

Her keynote wasn’t just a chronicle of personal growth. It was also a call to action, especially for the diaspora. “Don’t just come to India with empty suitcases and leave with what you can take. Come back and give. Collaborate. Invest in artists here. Wear Indian designers on global red carpets. Learn your roots. And in every family, let one person study the classical arts, just one.”

Raja Kumari also pushed back against stereotypes and superficial representation. “The West can understand us if we’re talking about curry or mangoes. I’ve done that. But now, we need more. Be aware of your brand. Don’t exoticize your own culture. Educate yourself.”

Her keynote ended with a message that felt equal parts mantra and mission statement: “Music must mean something. Not just for the charts, but for the soul. Let it be authentic. Let it be devotional. Let it be yours.”

On a day meant to celebrate music’s universality, Raja Kumari reminded everyone watching that the most powerful music isn’t just heard, it’s inherited, interrogated, and finally, transformed into something entirely your own.