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Raja Kumari Becomes First Indian Origin Rapper to Win an American Music Award
Updated on: 28 May, 2025 11:47 AM IST |Amruta Karulkar
Raja Kumari
In a landmark achievement for Indian representation on the global music stage, Indian-origin singer-songwriter and rapper Raja Kumari has won an American Music Award (AMA). The artist triumphed at the 51st AMA ceremony held in Los Angeles on Monday night, marking a significant milestone as she becomes the first Indian-origin rapper to receive the prestigious accolade. Kumari was nominated for her work on the soundtrack of the popular animated series Arcane: League of Legends.
The creation of "Renegade (We Never Run)" was a special endeavour for Kumari. She revealed that the team behind Arcane League of Legends approached her specifically because an important character in the series is Indian. “They (Arcane team) had heard about me as being representative of our culture and being able to make aggressive music as a woman,” Raja added, highlighting the unique fit.
The song’s success, however, took even her by surprise. “The song actually went top 10 in the world on the ‘Viral 50’ charts on Spotify. It was something that kind of came out of nowhere. I just did a song for a film. I didn`t have many expectations for it. It ended up really impacting people,” said Kumari.
Also Read: RM of BTS Wins Favourite K-Pop Artist Award at the American Music Awards 2025
This AMA win has come at a pivotal moment for the rapper, reaffirming her path as a global artist. She admitted that the nomination arrived when she was contemplating whether focusing on a single genre was necessary for major success. “And I`ve always been a global artist, so an AMA award is a great reminder that there’s still much more work for me to do and still much more for me to impact and grow,” she concluded, signalling even greater things to come.
Also Read: Women underrepresented in music industry: Raja Kumari
A Monumental Win for "Renegade"
Raja Kumari’s impactful track, "Renegade (We Never Run)," featured in Arcane League of Legends, earned the nomination and subsequent win in the highly competitive Favourite Soundtrack category. This powerful anthem is a collaborative effort, bringing together Kumari’s distinctive style with UK hip-hop artist Stefflon Don and Dominican-Brazilian artist Jarina de Marco. Earlier, Kumari had shared with PTI her excitement, noting she was the first Indian-origin musician to be nominated for an AMA, a historic feat in itself.The creation of "Renegade (We Never Run)" was a special endeavour for Kumari. She revealed that the team behind Arcane League of Legends approached her specifically because an important character in the series is Indian. “They (Arcane team) had heard about me as being representative of our culture and being able to make aggressive music as a woman,” Raja added, highlighting the unique fit.
The song’s success, however, took even her by surprise. “The song actually went top 10 in the world on the ‘Viral 50’ charts on Spotify. It was something that kind of came out of nowhere. I just did a song for a film. I didn`t have many expectations for it. It ended up really impacting people,” said Kumari.
Also Read: RM of BTS Wins Favourite K-Pop Artist Award at the American Music Awards 2025
Shared Connections and Future Horizons
Adding a personal layer to the collaboration, Raja Kumari shared a touching connection with fellow artist Stefflon Don through the late Punjabi music icon Sidhu Moose Wala. “Stefflon (Don) and I kind of share the Sidhu (Moose Wala) connection. She has a song with Sidhu, too. And when I was meeting Sidhu during the time that we were collaborating, he had played me the song. So, I`ve always had this soft spot in my heart for her because we both kind of share this gentle giant,” Kumari told PTI.This AMA win has come at a pivotal moment for the rapper, reaffirming her path as a global artist. She admitted that the nomination arrived when she was contemplating whether focusing on a single genre was necessary for major success. “And I`ve always been a global artist, so an AMA award is a great reminder that there’s still much more work for me to do and still much more for me to impact and grow,” she concluded, signalling even greater things to come.
Also Read: Women underrepresented in music industry: Raja Kumari
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