From participating on American Idol to getting praise for her talents by Jennifer Lopez and Bebe Rexha, this talented singer knew she wanted to pursue music from a young age.
Rhea’s music presence has skyrocketed over the past few years. Her songs have been featured by the LA Galaxy and shared by artists such as The Chainsmokers, Tiesto, and Nicky Romero.
We got the chance to talk to her about her journey and music and learned a little bit about what to expect from her next.
The Interview
For those who might not know you, tell us about yourself!
Rhea: Hey! I’m a pop singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer from New York City.
How did you get into music? When did you realize music was what you wanted to do long-term?
Rhea: It was my fourth grade talent show back in Dallas, Texas. I grew up dancing from the age of 2, but for the talent show I wanted to try singing for the first time. After that, I realized I loved being on stage so much, so I started taking voice lessons and performing around the city at places like the House of Blues and Hard Rock Cafe.
Then when I started songwriting in middle school, I couldn’t stop. It became a form of release and a way to connect with music at a deeper level.
We saw your that your sister is also a musician and that your Mom is your ‘Momager’ – how important is it to have the support from your family and how has it impacted your success today?
Rhea: Yes, my sis is a little boss and my family is so supportive. They saw my love for creating since I was a baby. I would be choreographing dances, putting on concerts in our living room, or painting on our coffee tables. I think they always knew I was going to be an artist. When I decided I wanted to be a musician, they told me to put my whole soul into it.
They’ve come to my shows since I was 11, helped me set up my recording studio at home, and been beside me through every high and low. They’re also my biggest critics and keep me grounded. I am where I am every step of the way because of my family.
You dropped your first EP at the age of 13. How difficult was it to juggle so many responsibilities at such a young age?
Rhea: Omg, I look back at that EP and laugh now. I was such a baby! But even at 13, I prioritized training, practicing, and developing my craft. I would finish all my school work as soon as I got home so I could spend the rest of the day on my music.
The whole American Idol experience happened when I was 15 and that required an intense level of rehearsing and traveling, so I switched to online school for a year. I loved it so much because it allowed me to give the opportunity my best shot. But that was also the year I moved from Texas to New Jersey, so it was hard meeting new people. I ended up spending a lot of time by myself, which was difficult at times. But at the end of the day, I loved my music so much that nothing ever felt like a sacrifice.
For you, what’s the process like making a song? (From generating the idea, to writing the music, and finally releasing it.)
Rhea: It’s funny how this hasn’t changed much over the years. I always start on my keyboard and just let the melodies flow. What’s new for me is production which I really got into over the last year. So now I like to make my own beats and write to that.
The lyrics are drawn from my personal experiences but I’m also very sensitive to the people around me and what they’re going through. I think it’s important to tell everyone’s stories. What’s most important is not setting any guidelines for what the song should be like. I write best when I’m writing about real experiences and don’t hold back with my ideas.
Once the song is done, I like to focus on the visual for it. Photos and videos can help people understand what you were thinking about when writing a song and the message behind it.
Congratulations on your song 2AM! What was the inspiration behind your latest hit? How long did it take you to make the song?
Rhea: Thank you so much! I actually wrote this song a little over a year ago, and it was, in fact, 2 in the morning. I was on my piano and I was just like… I should write a song called 2AM. I ended up finishing it in 2 hours and recorded a demo, which I sent over to UpsideDown later that day. He brought the song to life with his insane production and we finished up recording the song little by little during my trips out to LA!
The song is a little mysterious, and so is the video. I’m dancing around this house, alone at night, fantasizing the idea of being with someone who’s never shown. You can check it out here.
DJ UpsideDown is known for his hits in the Urban South Asian music industry. How did the collaboration happen? Will we be seeing more of Rhea Raj in the Urban South Asian music industry?
Rhea: We met on Instagram, which is really the best place to connect with artists nowadays! We were talking about working on music together for a while and 2AM was the first project we both really felt. And totally! UpsideDown and I have a few collabs coming out very soon with Happy Singh.
Let’s take a second to talk about your experience on American Idol. What was that experience like? How exciting was it to hear compliments from Jennifer Lopez about your singing talent?
Rhea: American Idol was life-changing. Meeting Jennifer Lopez was obviously unreal and hearing her say she liked my voice was the greatest feeling ever. My audition aired on FOX and I remember sitting in my living room watching it on TV with my family. We all went crazy!
Going from that rush to being eliminated was very difficult. I came down with a bad fever during Hollywood Week and lost my voice, which was crushing. I was heartbroken, but over time I realized that it’s life and you have to come to peace with what happens and move forward.
Overall, I look back at American Idol now and remember it as being such a transformative journey.
Jennifer Lopez hasn’t been the only music celebrity to praise your talent, we saw Bebe Rexha commented on the cover you made for her song ‘I Got You.’ How did you feel in that exact moment when you found out she was complimenting your singing abilities?
Rhea: That was a complete shock! I was on Facetime, thinking Glamour Magazine wanted to chat about my cover of “I Got You,” which itself was a huge honor… and then they surprised me with that video of Bebe Rexha watching my cover and I freaked out. I literally didn’t know what to say, I was just giggling the whole time.
So far throughout your whole music journey, what’s the single best piece of advice you received?
Rhea: I’m so lucky to have so many great mentors and people around me. I can be really hard on myself and am growing everyday, so I’ll create something and look back at it just a week later and feel like I could have done something better or differently.
The best thing I’ve been told is to truly enjoy the journey and look at everything in a positive way. Evolution and change is natural and it’s an opportunity to learn and make the next thing even better. I’m working on acceptance and not dwelling on the past too much.
Another thing I’ve been told is to write music that I genuinely want to be making. It’s so important to be true to yourself and what you like. I stopped forcing myself to write certain types of songs or fit a certain image, I just create based on what I’m authentically feeling.
Final question, what can we expect from Rhea Raj in the future?
Rhea: Lots of new music, collabs, videos, and live shows! I have a pop/R&B single called “You’re a Star” and a one-take music video coming out May 31st. The song is very personal to me but I think anyone can relate. It’s about the pain of having to let go of someone but wishing nothing but the best for them. It’s all love here.
We want to thank Rhea Raj for taking the time out and talking to us! If you’d like to learn more about her, check out her site at www.rhearaj.com or follow her on social media!
