Q&A: Rhea Raj Burns It All Down and Rebuilds in “COMMOTION” EP
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
RHEA RAJ RECLAIMS HERSELF — Rising Indian-American pop powerhouse Rhea Raj is entering a thrilling new chapter. The singer, songwriter, and visual architect has released her new EP COMMOTION, along with the drop of her standout single, “Killer.” A chaotic, alt-pop anthem teeming with Bollywood drama, “Mumbai” solidifies Raj’s place at the forefront of genre-blending pop—where South Asian identity, rockstar ambition, and unshakable feminine power collide.
COMMOTION is a celebration of rebellion, self-empowerment and unapologetic identity. Through a mix of synth-pop textures, melodic storytelling, and bold production, Raj channels a narrative arc that begins in heartbreak and ends in rebirth. Feminism, independence and liberation aren’t just themes—they’re the backbone of the sonic and emotional journey she lays bare across this new body of work.
Nowhere is this more evident than on “Mumbai.” Produced by Jimmy Duval, the single blends sleek pop melodies with trap-infused beats and maximalist theatrics. “Mumbai” is a manifestation of luxury, drama, and danger, all wrapped in the fierce confidence of a woman who knows exactly who she is and where she comes from.
“[‘Mumbai’] is a love letter to India: my vibrant second home,” Raj says. “It’s a reflection of where I am right now—jet-setting to a new city every week, having fun with fashion, and being unafraid to fall in love and feel it all.”
The single arrives alongside a Bollywood-inspired music video that dives headfirst into visual maximalism. Directed by Jack Rottier with creative direction from Ramisha Sattar, the “Mumbai” video tells the twisted tale of a traditional Indian housewife—played by Raj herself—who becomes disillusioned with her emotionally absent husband. What follows is a hypnotic spiral of witchcraft, voodoo, and vengeance, culminating in a moment of magical empowerment and rebirth.
The visuals are a love letter in themselves—Raj’s grandmother’s saris, ritualistic candles, and spiritual crystals make appearances throughout, transforming each room into a personal altar of identity. There’s Bollywood glamour, sci-fi surrealism, and a powerful reclamation of feminine rage and desire, all seamlessly tied together in a way only Raj could imagine.
With COMMOTION, Raj is pushing pop forward, not just musically, but culturally. It’s a project that makes space for South Asian women in pop music to be loud, luxurious, complex and magnetic. Her voice is loud, her visuals are unapologetically maximalist, and her message is crystal clear, Raj is here to cause a commotion, and the world better be ready for it.
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what inspires the atmosphere or sonic world you aim to create for your listeners?
RHEA: I love that question. I grew up a dancer, and I grew up doing all styles of dance — including jazz ballet, hip-hop and classical Indian dance. I feel like sonically and visually, it's the merging of my two worlds being an American girl that grew up on 2000s pop, but also someone that loves old Bollywood aesthetics, so introducing what that new thing looks like to people, but everything is definitely the soundtrack to your night out and feeling like a bad bitch and going out to dance.
LUNA: Your new EP COMMOTION evokes such powerful imagery. Huge congratulations on the release! What is the inspiration behind the project and what themes or emotions do you explore?
RHEA: The whole project follows the story of a romantic relationship that turns into something very toxic, and through that journey of getting out of that and rediscovering yourself the commotion of life, and being a pop star, being an artist, and having to navigate this tumultuous time in your life but coming out the other side a new and evolved version. I've been looking at the lotus flower a lot. I just got a lotus tattoo, and I love this idea of becoming multiple versions of yourself through the lifetime. It's a new era of who I am and that idea of rebirth that I feel like a lot of people can connect with, and it's very scary. I hope this project reminds people how beautiful rebirth can be and how fun it can be to explore that new version of yourself. Sonically, it moves through the themes of I'm a bad bitch and showing off to the world who I am, and it ends with grounding myself again. I'm ready for this next chapter and exploring that whole relationship coming to an end and a rebirth of who you are.
LUNA: I would love to know more about the creative process. What did a typical recording and songwriting session look like for you? How did the songs evolve from the initial idea to its final version?
RHEA: Two of the songs on the project, “Mumbai” and “Now That You're Gone,” were ideas that I started in my bedroom alone. I started the production by recording melodies myself on my mic and then the songs came together that way. Then later, I brought in the different producers to help me bring the ideas to life. I love starting ideas alone in my bedroom, that's where I feel really free to do whatever. But the other songs, I love collaborating so much. I love working with other people. I think that that brings out something new in me, but I'm definitely melodically and rhythmically driven, so it always starts with the song that way, and then the lyrics and the story behind it are last for me, depending on what the actual sound makes me feel and what story I want to tell that day.
LUNA: “Mumbai” is a total genre-bender—part trap, part pop, part theatrical anthem. What was the process like creating this track with Jimmy Duval, and how did it push you artistically?
RHEA: This song was a five year process. It's actually insane. I started it during COVID alone in my bedroom. It had a completely different title. The essence of the song was the same, but lyrically quite different. I knew from the day I made it that I was going to put this out one day. I love this song so much, but it went through multiple evolutions, because it's very real to what this project and this and what COMMOTION means, and that idea of evolution. It went through a lot of different phases, but I started working with Jimmy Duvall last year. I finally found the person that will understand this song and be able to bring it to life the way that I'm envisioning it in my head. He's incredible. We did that production together, finished it up, retitled the song to “Mumbai,” which makes so much more sense and it's one of my favorite cities in the world. I love Mumbai so much. It's so electric and beautiful.
LUNA: The video for “Mumbai” is rich with symbolism and Bollywood drama. Can you walk us through the story behind the visual and how you conceptualized it with Ramisha Sattar and Jack Rottier?
RHEA: The song is super flirtatious and light hearted. It's about getting past a relationship and exploring life again and adventure and new flings. I have been watching a lot of old Bollywood movies these past six months. I want this to be my take on what that could look like drawing inspiration from 70s, 80s and even early 2000s Bollywood, but still feeling very futuristic, very sci-fi. Combining those two things that I love visually, and all the visuals are very rich, vibrant and maximalist. I knew the video was going to be very colorful and visually over-stimulating, which is what Bollywood is. I love this idea of this toxic guy in your life that you get rid of, but doing it through witchcraft, I also wanted to explore the witchcraft. The director [Jack Rottier] is so incredible. I found him through Instagram, and his transitions are really cool. He has a very specific style of filming and editing, and he really brought it to life so incredibly.
LUNA: Do you have a personal favorite song on the EP — one that feels closest to your heart or most revealing of who Rhea Raj is right now?
RHEA: I love all of them, and I love all of them for different feelings and different parts of my day. Right now, I will say “Killer” and “Now That You're Gone,” both the top and the bottom are very reflective of where I am right now.
LUNA: You’ve released two singles already this year. What can fans expect from the full COMMOTION EP that they haven’t heard yet?
RHEA: I think it is definitely a little bit new sonically. People have been wanting to hear something more vulnerable from me, and I think that's been something I've been holding on to that I was afraid of, like really getting so personal and vulnerable in my music and actually telling the life stories behind Rhea Raj and what I'm actually experiencing. The whole project is a lot more real and raw.
LUNA: What does feminine power look and feel like to you right now, and how do you hope it comes across to your listeners?
RHEA: I think accepting all of the waves of life and emotion is really important, and validating that for yourself. There's days when we wake up feeling like the hottest, baddest bitch on the planet. And then there's days too, when we wake up and we're like what am I doing? All of those feelings are so valid. As long as you look in the mirror and you have your cry, but you look in the mirror and you remind yourself that you are everything and everywhere you need to be right now in this moment is super important. I feel like women just feel things on such a deep spiritual level, more than the other species.
LUNA: When you feel a creative spark coming on, what do you need in your space to nurture it? Are there any rituals, objects, or energies you always return to?
RHEA: I need incense. I need art. My room is covered in so many colorful pillows and fabrics and sequins from India. I need a lot of color and visual stimulation, and also different senses. That's why I need my incense. I need colorful lights. The vibe has to be set in the room.
LUNA: What’s fueling your creative fire right now?
RHEA: Being in the dance studio. I'm working with my choreographer, Chris, who did the “Killer” video. I like feeling out music in the dance studio, even if there's no actual choreography, just finding movement.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
RHEA: I feel really excited. I feel connected to this project in a way that I've never felt connected to my own music in the past, because I'm actually living through this story of COMMOTION as it's coming out. The story that I'm telling of this project, I manifested it into my life, which kind of sucks, but it's so beautiful I'm able to tell this story in the most authentic way. I'm excited to bring it to life on stage. I did a performance in May at Wango Tango here in LA for 102.7 KIIS-FM, and that was so fun putting that show together. I'm really excited to be able to show people what all this new music will look like on stage with dancers and visuals.
