Meet Lara Raj: Tamil-American queer star of Katseye who just won a VMA

Who is Lara Raj?

The girl group Katseye has been making waves around the world, and for good reason. Six women from six countries, blending cultures, sounds, and identities, and now winning big — including their first MTV Video Music Award in 2025 for Touch, a sultry single that’s become their breakout anthem.

At the heart of the group stands Lara Raj, a Tamil-American star who refuses to hide any part of who she is. Openly queer in a notoriously rigid industry, they carry their heritage with pride.

Bindis under stage lights, an Om pendant around her neck, a nose ring in a glossy music video — Lara makes sure their culture is never an afterthought. “It’s always been my dream to have Indian, especially South Indian representation…I want our community to feel uplifted, powerful, and confident,” she told Vogue India.

Born as Lara Rajagopalan on 3 November 2005, they grew up in a home where Indian spirituality met American life.

Their grandmother, also known as paati — introduced them to chants, crystals, and symbolism that still influences their stage persona.

When their grandmother passed away just before Katseye’s debut was announced, Lara revealed: “She (grandmother) gave me a cat’s eye crystal before she died…when the group name was revealed as Katseye, it felt like destiny.”

Music was always part of the Raj household. Lara and their sister Rhea began uploading covers to social media from their bedroom studio — Destiny’s Child’s Emotion, Rihanna’s Love on the Brain.

Those clips caught the eye of HYBE and Geffen Records, who were scouting talent for The Debut: Dream Academy. At just 17, Lara was flown to Los Angeles to train and compete against 20 other girls. Gruelling, high-pressure, but she made it.

Katseye launched in late 2023 with Lara alongside Manon Bannerman, Sophia Laforteza, Megan Skiendziel, Yoonchae Jeong, and Daniela Avanzini. Their debut EP Soft Is Strong was dreamy; follow-up Beautiful Chaos was wild and experimental.

Touch became the turning point — a track that charted across Asia, Europe, and the US and earned them a standing ovation at the VMAs.

Yet Lara’s impact extends beyond music. During a casual Weverse Live, she jokingly described herself as “half a fruitcake”, reclaiming a slur and effectively coming out publicly.

The reaction was massive. Lara later admitted that they have been out since 14, but the moment inspired hundreds of fans to share their own stories. For queer South Asian youth especially, her visibility has been groundbreaking.

Even before Katseye, Lara was on global stages, they once sang Freedom with Michelle Obama for the Global Girls Alliance.

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Today, they see their career as more than hits and tours. “I pushed my roots away for so long because it felt hard, but now I wear them proudly,” she said. “It’s my mission, not just to make music, but to make people feel seen.”

With Katseye’s second world tour coming and rumours of collaborations with Western and Asian artists, Lara Raj’s star is only going to burn brighter.

But fame aside, she remains focused on her purpose: representation, pride, and giving others the courage to stand tall in who they are.