Lara Raj
Lara Raj | |
|---|---|
Raj in 2025 | |
| Born | Lara Rajagopalan November 3, 2005 Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Relatives | Rhea Raj (sister) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2024–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | Katseye |
Lara Rajagopalan (born November 3, 2005), known professionally as Lara Raj, is an American singer based in Los Angeles, California. In 2024, she made her debut as a member of Katseye, a girl group formed through the 2023 reality show Dream Academy created by Hybe and Geffen Records.
Early life and education
Lara Rajagopalan was born on November 3, 2005,[1] in Stamford, Connecticut, to an Indian Tamil mother, Kavita, and a Sri Lankan Hill Country Tamil father, Srivatsan.[2] Lara's mother is a Bollywood dance teacher and chef, while her father is a businessman.[3] Her older sister, Rhea, is a singer-songwriter with whom she learned how to produce music and shared a love for creating music.[3]
Raj spent her childhood in Dallas, before moving to New York City.[3] In New York, Raj attended middle school at Professional Performing Arts School and high school at LaGuardia High School.[3][4]
Career
2010–2022: Career beginnings and early work
Raj began performing when she was five years old.[4] She took vocal lessons, and participated in acting training and dance classes as a child living in Dallas.[4] Raj began performing with Septien Entertainment Group, an artist development group, at venues like the House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, and Six Flags.[4] After winning a singing competition, Raj was accepted into a professional program and moved to New York City.[4]
As a preteen, Raj made a brief appearance on The Blacklist and appeared in commercials for Macy's and Spotify.[5][4] As a teenager, Raj was a company dancer at Broadway Dance Center.[4]
As a teenager, Raj was also involved in public speaking and modeling, having hosted segments for the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign.[6][7] In 2019, Raj appeared in a principal role in former First Lady Michelle Obama's Global Girls Alliance campaign launch video.[4][8]
2023–present: Dream Academy and debut with Katseye
Lara Raj first gained attention by posting song covers on social media,[9] which led to her being scouted to join The Debut: Dream Academy, a talent competition program created by Hybe and Geffen Records as part of their initiative to create a "global girl group".[10][11] By the finale in November 2023, Raj placed second overall, securing her position in Katseye. As a result, she became the first Indian-origin artist to sign under a Hybe label.[12] The group's formation process was later chronicled in the 2024 Netflix docuseries Popstar Academy: Katseye.[13] Raj is credited for proposing that the group's initial name, "Catseye", be changed to the stylized form "Katseye", a suggestion that was ultimately adopted.[14]
In December 2025, Raj was included in GLAAD's 20 Under 20 list. Presented by Teen Vogue, the list honors influential LGBTQ youth aged 20 and below.[15] In February 2026, Raj starred in rapper Baby Keem's music video for "Birds & the Bees", playing a character in a toxic relationship with Keem.[16]
Media image
Raj is an advocate of South Asian representation in media. She appears with culturally specific adornments like a bindi, an Om necklace, and bangles.[17][18][19] During Katseye's "Better in Denim" campaign with Gap, Raj spoke about how important it was for young brown girls to see someone who looks like them on billboards, saying that her mission is to make the South Asian community feel "uplifted, powerful and confident".[8] Raj cites inspiration from South Asian women like Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Avantika Vandanapu, and Ramisha Sattar.[10]
In an article published on December 14, 2025, Vogue India's Nancy Uddin praised Raj for embracing a confident "bombshell" aesthetic and challenging stereotypes about Indian beauty.[20] In January 2026, Teen Vogue commended Raj for promoting body positivity and speaking out against diet culture.[21] On March 3, 2026, Raj was featured in The New York Times' Midi crossword puzzle.[22]
Personal life
Her grandmother, whom Raj considered a "spiritual anchor", gifted her a cat's eye crystal before her death. Soon after, when Raj was selected to be a part of the final group and its name was revealed to be "Katseye", she felt it was "destiny".[10]
In March 2025, Raj publicly came out as queer to fans on the idol–fan messaging app Weverse, stating that she had "known I was queer since I was a kid". In May 2025, Raj subsequently received the "Blooming Impact Award" from the Los Angeles LGBT Center.[3]
In an interview with BBC News' Mark Savage, Raj revealed the impact of racist comments, including death threats, upon her mental health. She explained that she deleted X to avoid seeing such comments.[23]
Discography
As a contestant of Dream Academy, Raj participated in the promotional release of the contestants' shared songs for competition. They were performed on November 17, 2023, and released to streaming platforms on August 21, 2024.[13]
Raj has contributed studio background vocals for her sister Rhea Raj's tracks.[3] Rhea collaborated with her on the writing and production of one of her tracks.[24]
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Dirty Water" (as part of The Debut: Dream Academy) |
2024 | The Debut: Dream Academy - Live Finale |
| "All The Same" (as part of The Debut: Dream Academy) |
Songwriting and production credits
| Title | Year | Artist | Album | Lyricist | Producer | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Gnarly" (Lara x Lancey Foux x Slush Puppy remix) | 2025 | Katseye, Lancey Foux, and Slush Puppy | Non-album single | [25][26] | ||
| "Now That Ur Gone" | Rhea Raj | Commotion | [22] |
Videography
Public service announcement video
| Campaign | Year | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| "Welcome to the Global Girls Alliance" | 2018 | [4][27] |
Music video appearance
| Song title | Year | Artist | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Outside" | 2022 | Rhea Raj | Rhea Raj, Divya Jethwani | [28] |
| "Birds & the Bees" | 2026 | Baby Keem | Jack Begert | [16] |
Filmography
Reality shows
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dream Academy | Contestant | YouTube | [11] |
| 2024 | Pop Star Academy: Katseye | Herself | Netflix | [13] |
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Emoting Emojis | Piper | Short film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | The Blacklist | Sara | Episode: "Sutton Ross" | [4] |
References
- ^ "Meet Lara Raj: Tamil-American queer star of Katseye who just won a VMA". Moneycontrol. September 9, 2025. Archived from the original on September 9, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ Talawadekar, Vaishnavi (November 18, 2025). "Rhea Raj is making pop music for the girls that pop music left out". Vogue India. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Momenian, Donya (May 29, 2025). "KATSEYE Share the Secret Meaning Behind 'Gabriela'". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on October 5, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Meet Lara Raj - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide". VoyageLA. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ Swrup, Aahana (August 23, 2024). "Lara Raj: Where is the KATSEYE Member Now?". The Cinemaholic. Archived from the original on May 13, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
- ^ Thakur, Charu (January 7, 2023). "Lara Rajagopalan: The Indian-American teen artist makes it to K-Pop band KATSEYE". The Global Indian. Archived from the original on October 8, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ^ Srivastava, Aditi (November 8, 2023). "Lara Rajagopalan: Meet HYBE's first Indian-origin K-pop idol, set to debut in KATSEYE". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on April 25, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ^ a b Kandangwa, Sumnima (August 26, 2025). "Meet Katseye's Lara Raj, the LGBT star in an inspiring new Gap ad". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on September 8, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ Saulog, Gabriel (August 27, 2025). "KATSEYE's Lara On Becoming Everything She Never Saw Growing Up". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 18, 2025. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c Naik, Sihaam (June 17, 2025). "Lara Raj may just be the desi pop baddie you've been waiting for". Vogue India. Archived from the original on June 27, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
- ^ a b Aniftos, Rania (August 28, 2023). "Meet the 20 Finalists for HYBE x Geffen 'Dream Academy' Global Girl Group Contest". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ George, Tom (December 1, 2023). "Katseye are ready to be the next world-dominating girl band". i-D. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
- ^ a b c Burt, Kayti (August 23, 2024). "Netflix's Pop Star Academy: Katseye Reveals What it Takes to Make a Global Girl Group". Time. Archived from the original on October 3, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
- ^ KIIS-FM (September 30, 2024). Katseye On Their Dream Collaborations, Life After Their Debut, and Paranormal Encounters. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Useche, Jose; Lenge, Yolanda (December 10, 2025). "GLAAD 20 Under 20 2025: Meet the Young LGBTQ Changemakers Shaping the World". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on December 13, 2025. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Hess, Tobias (February 23, 2026). "Baby Keem's "Birds & the Bees" music video stars Katseye's Lara Raj". The Fader. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
- ^ Punjabi, Vishakha (September 1, 2025). "Lara Raj Is The Blueprint For South Asian Pop Baddie". Elle India. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ Narain, Anadya (September 10, 2025). "How Katseye's Lara Raj Proves Desi Representation In Media Isn't Just A Buzzword". Hauterrfly. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ Momenian, Donya (May 29, 2025). "Katseye's Lara Explains Why She Unapologetically Wears Her Bindi". Teen Vogue. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ Uddin, Nancy (December 14, 2025). "Is 2025 the year the Indian bombshell stops apologising for being sexy?". Vogue India. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Katseye Member Lara Responds to Body Shaming: "Get a Grip"". Teen Vogue. December 14, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ a b Loreto, Julienne (March 11, 2026). "Katseye's Lara Raj Appears In The New York Times' Crossword Puzzle". &Asian. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Savage, Mark (November 12, 2025). "Global girl group Katseye have received 'thousands' of death threats". BBC News.
- ^ Raj, Rhea (July 30, 2025). Raj Sister collab… "Now That Ur Gone" from my EP 'COMMOTION' written & produced by me and Lara 🩷. Retrieved November 12, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Shin, Min-hee (June 6, 2025). "Girl group Katseye releases two remixes of 'Gnarly'". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on September 25, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "Gnarly - Lara of KATSEYE x Lancey Foux x Slush Puppy remix". Spotify. June 5, 2025. Archived from the original on September 28, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ Obama Foundation (October 11, 2018). Welcome to the Global Girls Alliance. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Raj, Rhea (September 8, 2022). Rhea Raj - Outside (Official Video). Archived from the original on July 11, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025 – via YouTube.
External links
- Media related to Lara Raj at Wikimedia Commons