Meet Lara Raj, Indian-Queer Pop Powerhouse, Member Of Katseye Who Won Their First VMA

Katseye, one of the world's first global girl groups, is rewriting the rules of the pop industry. Blending members from six different countries, the group has marked a career-defining milestone by winning their very first MTV Video Music Award in 2025 for Push Performance of the Year with their sultry single, Touch.

At the centre of this rising group stands Lara Raj. A proud Tamil American who embraces her heritage on and off stage, Lara is one of the few openly queer artists in the highly competitive K-pop industry. From her bindis and Om necklace to her candid humour, Lara embodies authenticity and proudly carries her roots. Here's everything you need to know about the Indian-American queer star who is reshaping global pop as a member of Katseye.

Lara Raj's early roots and cultural identity

Born on November 3, 2005, Lara Rajagopalan is professionally known as Lara Raj. She was raised in a household that blended Indian spirituality with American energy. Her parents, who immigrated from South India, instilled in her a sense of cultural pride, which is reflected in the way she dresses and carries herself. Lara often speaks about her paati (grandmother), who introduced her to crystals, chants, and the spiritual symbolism that she still carries along.

Lara is known for incorporating her Asian heritage into her artistry. Whether it's bindis sparkling under stage lights, nose rings in music videos, or her Om pendant that she is often seen wearing. Her look carries deliberate cultural cues that she proudly wears on a global platform. In an industry where performers are often encouraged to blend in, Lara stands out proudly. In an interview with Vogue India, she could be quoted as saying:

"It's always been my dream to have Indian, especially South Indian representation…I want our community to feel uplifted, powerful, and confident."

Lara Raj's music beginnings with Rhea Raj

Music was always in the air at the Raj household. Lara and her older sister, Rhea Raj, grew up experimenting with production software in their bedroom studio. By her early teens, Lara was already layering vocals late at night, teaching herself the basics of songwriting and beat-making. From the very beginning she knew music was her goal.

Rhea, who was already pursuing a career as a pop artist, became Lara's first collaborator. Together, they recorded covers of Destiny's Child's Emotion and Rihanna's Love on the Brain and uploaded them to social media. These covers would later catch the eye of HYBE and Geffen and ultimately lead Lara to Katseye and her global rise.

Lara Raj became a member of Katseye

In 2023, everything for Lara changed with a single DM. HYBE and Geffen were quietly scouting global talent for their upcoming survival show, The Debut: Dream Academy. They stumbled upon Lara's covers and invited her to audition. Within weeks, the then-17-year-old Lara was on a plane to Los Angeles and soon she became the part of the survival show. The process was gruelling and intense but she made it.

Alongside 20 other girls from around the world, Lara trained in vocals, dance, and stage presence under intense scrutiny. But tragedy struck just two months before the final lineup was announced; her grandmother passed away in Chennai. However, Lara stayed strong and fulfilled her dreams, becoming one of the final member of Katseye. She could be quoted as saying:

"She (grandmother) gave me a cat's eye crystal before she died…when the group name was revealed as Katseye, it felt like destiny."

Katseye's rise to becoming a global fame

Lara debuted with Katseye in late 2023, joining the group with Manon Bannerman, Sophia Laforteza, Megan Skiendziel, Yoonchae Jeong, and Daniela Avanzini. The group's multicultural lineup was extraordinary. Swiss-Ghanaian, Filipino, Chinese-Singaporean, Korean, Venezuelan-Cuban, and Indian-American members united under one name was something that was never seen before.

Katseye's debut EP, Soft Is Strong, showcased pastel aesthetics and their tender harmonies. However, their follow-up project, Beautiful Chaos, revealed the group's wild and experimental side. Tracks like Gnarly introduced manic choreography and their distorted but innovative at the same vocals, while Touch became their breakout anthem. It charted across Asia, Europe, and the U.S., and its sultry VMA-winning performance confirmed Katseye's place in pop history.

Lara Raj's coming out as queer

Lara has never shied away from speaking her truth. During a Weverse Live earlier this year, she casually referred to herself as 'half a fruitcake,' a cheeky reclaiming of a homophobic slur. What she didn't expect was the global reaction. Headlines erupted, calling her a queer South Asian star in a K-pop-linked group that had publicly come out. Fans around the world celebrated her coming out.

For Lara, though, it wasn't new. She said she had been out since she was 14, and everyone who mattered to her already knew. But fans saw it differently. She was flooded with hundreds of messages saying they had found the courage to come out after hearing her words. For queer South Asian youth, Lara's presence represents validation that has long been missing in global pop culture for them. Her recent MTV VMAs, win was yet another milestone she achieved for her community.

Lara Raj and her advocacy and representation

Beyond the music, Lara sees her career as a mission. In 2018, she performed alongside Michelle Obama for the Global Girls Alliance campaign, singing Freedom with a group of schoolgirls. Even before Katseye, she was embodying empowerment on a global stage. Now, as her fame rises, she champions brown and queer representation in mainstream pop industry and on global platforms. She could be quoted as saying:

"I pushed my roots away for so long because it felt hard, but now I wear them proudly." 

Lara Raj's future plans

Lara is focused on expanding Katseye's global reach while also producing her own music. She has hinted at possible solo projects but no confirmation is made yet. With Katseye's second world tour on the horizon and the group's collaborations rumours with Western and Asian artists, Lara's future is set to shine brighter. But beyond fame, she remains grounded in her main purpose to uplift others. She could be quoted as saying:

"It's my mission, not just to make music, but to make people feel seen."

At just 19, Lara Raj is conquering the charts and redefining what pop stardom looks like. As an Indian-American queer artist, she embodies the need for authenticity and representation of a generation.

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