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Exclusive Premiere: See Indo-American Pop Artist Rhea Raj’s Sultry Video for New R&B Ballad ‘MVP’

The track is the New York City-based singer-songwriter’s first release of the year

Jan 29, 2021

New York City-based Indo-American pop artist Rhea Raj. Photo: Courtesy of the artist

At 15 years old, Indo-American pop artist Rhea Raj auditioned for singing competition American Idol, which she counts as a life-changing experience. It’s one that gave Raj her first big national platform to perform. Now 20, Raj has been featured on MTV, collaborated with a ton of other musicians and even moved to New York City to focus on her identity as an artist. With a slew of singles under her belt, Raj is now out with her latest R&B pop ballad titled “MVP,” accompanied by a seductive music video out exclusively via Rolling Stone India.

According to Raj, she was keen on releasing a big ballad that challenged her vocally. The new song includes an old-school feel while also featuring bits of modern production elements. “Lyrically, the word ‘MVP’ felt powerful to build a concept around. I wanted the song to live in that space of tension where two people clearly feel something immense for one another and just have to take that leap of faith to become lovers,” she says.

Raj’s voice stands out across the track as she shows off her range, dynamics and vocal control. There’s also a tight bass line that holds the song well while colorful guitar and keyboard work add to the glitz of the track. The artist says, “I worked on production for ‘MVP’ with my friend Jackson Hoffman, and we recorded my vocals in his studio in Brooklyn, New York.” Hoffman also mixed the song while Los Angeles-based Matty Harris mastered it.

The music video for “MVP” showcases Raj in her sweltering best, starring in the clip alongside Perris Howard. Filmed by videographer Toby Teitel, we see the singer and Howard dancing and sharing romantic tension between each other as well as Raj performing the song in between scenes. The video was shot at an apartment in New York City and speaking about the film, Raj says, “It has that glamour, romance, and sensuality that the song is all about.”

Recently, the vocalist signed a publishing deal with U.S.-based music exec Jaime Hindlin which now sees her juggling several writing and producing sessions not just for herself but for other artists too. Next, Raj is readying her debut album Devious, which is set to be released this April via her independent label Misschief Records. She says, “I feel like I’m starting to find my sound and carve a lane for myself as an artist.” 

Watch the video for “MVP” below:

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