Raje Shwari, like many faithful artists, puts her blood, sweat, and tears into her artform, music. She realized that pop culture had embraced Indian music, but Raje wanted to put her own "flavor" into the mix. Her voice can be heard on several Timbaland tracks. She has already made a statement in the mainstream music industry, and so we bring her to you right here on DesiClub.com. She took time out of her busy schedule to give us the lowdown on "Raje Shwari" and to introduce herself to the Desi Community.

Peta Cooper: How did you get hooked up with Timbaland?
Raje Shwari: I had just finished up another demo of my own material this past July, ten songs I had written/produced on my own with a Pop/R&B feel to them. Since I had started hearing the Indian influence on so many hip hop tracks on the radio, I decided to throw in a little bit of my own Indian flavor on a few of my demo tracks, and that blended fusion particularly caught the ear of an industry guy named Bill Pettaway (known for his close work with Toni Braxton, Mya and Timbaland among others). Bill immediately signed me to his production company and put me in the studio with Timbaland, and next thing I knew, 10 days and a few late night sessions later; Tim had placed me on a half dozen of the tracks he was already producing for other major artists.

He was just so cool and really looking out for me from day one, because he just put me right in the studio with some major players as soon as I walked in the door. I mean established multi-platinum selling artists like Jay Z, Bubba Sparxxx, Lil' Kim, Petey Pablo along with really hot rap artists coming up through Timbaland and rising rapidly like Slum Village, Ms. Jade and Sebastian. At that point, my confidence just shot right through the roof, because I knew that he and Bill had to have some serious faith in me to just put me out there like that so quickly. Especially Timbaland. I mean he is one of the hottest producers in the game, if not THE hottest, so having his approval was the greatest feeling. I owe him and Bill so much already, and we're only just getting started.

PC: How has music influenced your life?
RS: For as long as I can remember, I was lucky because my parents grew up with music. My dad went to Music College in Baroda, Gujarat with all of his brothers. They each took up different instruments, so I guess they could eventually have their own little "ensemble." My dad took up singing, violin and harmonium, while my uncles studied sitar, flute and tabla. They were the top students in the whole college for years, even competing against each other to keep it exciting, so there was a whole lot of music in their home all of the time. My mom even dabbled with tabla and the dhol.

So growing up, my parents were pretty pushy about me trying to develop some sort of musical talent. My dad used to force me to learn the harmonium, piano and violin, and sing the different raagas he learned in college. Truthfully, all I wanted to do was go outside and play, but then as I started hearing that I might have inherited some of their talents, I slowly developed a love for it, and my confidence grew. Now I'd thank my dad a million times over for making me stick to it. I'd have to give him and my mother credit for encouraging me.

PC: Have you always been set on becoming a singer?
RS: Always! I practiced with the Bollywood cassette tapes that my parents had when I was little. They made me perform at every Indian function and every family get-together they could find. Then, I joined up in all the music and drama programs coming up thru grade school and high school. But really, somewhere along the way, I discovered Madonna, and that was it... all I wanted to do was be her. It wasn't her look or her controversy that got me, it was more that I had always been exposed to so many different kinds of music, both Eastern and Western, while I was growing up, and she was just so universal. I mean who could resist her voice and her songs. It didn't matter what walk of life you came from, and whether or not you could even speak English, Madonna just made you feel something, and I wanted to do that.

PC: What do your parents think about you breaking into the Hip Hop scene?
RS: As far as the hip hop scene goes, it sounds funny but I don't think they know what that is. It doesn't matter to them if it's Faith Evans or Faith Hill, they just think "Western music" is Western music, and if I'm on a track, then they definitely like it. God gave me the only two Indian parents that could handle what I'm trying to do. I couldn't be more blessed. I mean don't get me wrong. I don't want people to think that I have these hip, modern, liberal thinking Indian parents, because I don't. I have the typical Indian parents - very traditional, devoutly Hindu, go to the temple every Sunday, extremely strict while I was growing up, no boys allowed, be home by 11pm - those sort of typical Indian parents.

But I have to say that they never once stopped me from the music. When it came to that they were there for me 150%. When I came home with a report card meeting their approval, my reward was a trip to the record store, so I could just go crazy and get whatever I wanted. It was kind of weird, because I wasn't allowed to go to school dances or boy/girl parties or stay overnight at a friend's house, but I was always allowed to go to huge concerts of Madonna or Janet Jackson or Prince, and they sent me twice touring all over Europe with 150 other teenagers to sing in 9 different countries, and you know how crazy that was with no drinking age over there and only 6 or 7 chaperones (smiles). Their rules didn't make much sense, but in the end I think their philosophy was "if she's doing something musical, it's OK."

"...He put me in the sessions with these artists, and let me run with my ideas. Those artists accepted me, because Timbaland was standing behind me all the way..."

PC: Who do you admire in the business?
RS: Well I think I just gave that away in the last answer, definitely Madonna, there's no one else I've been more influenced by or looked up to or have studied more than her, especially when it comes to being an artist that is true to herself as well as remaining true to her public. As far as straight up versatility and performance, I've seen Janet Jackson in concert 6 times, and in my eyes she can't be beat. She and her dancers leave you breathless. She is definitely the standard I aspire to as far as my stage performance goes.

When it comes to "music making" skills, no doubt I would have to say Timbaland and Missy Elliott. And that is not just some bullshit I'm throwing out there, because I happen to be working with Timbaland. I have been listening to their stuff for years. I have every Missy, Timbaland and Magoo, Aaliyah and Ginuwine album there is, REALLY, not to mention all the stuff they've done with Jay Z, Total, Puffy - there's too many to even mention them all. They are both just so gifted and they're unstoppable!

God willing, hopefully the day I get to work with Missy is right around the corner, and as far as me working with Timbaland now - that's just years of hard work paying off, and years of countless prayers being answered.

PC: What was it like to work with Jay Z and Bubba Sparxxx?
RS: Honestly, I just followed Timbaland's lead on everything. He put me in the sessions with these artists, and let me run with my ideas. Those artists accepted me, because Tim was standing behind me all the way. I mean someone like Jay Z, all that he's done, his phenomenal career so far, he can work with anyone he wants, so I'm just so incredibly lucky that Tim chose to use me on one of the tracks he produced for the Blueprint 2 album called "The Bounce", and that Jay was totally cool with it.

As far as the other artists, everyone was just so cool. No egos came into play at all, they just welcomed me right in like I had been there all along, and I'm really grateful for that. But then again I guess for artists that are truly comfortable doing their own thing and being successful at it, it all just comes down to being creative and trying new things, which is why they made a spot for me right from the beginning.

As I said I'm already singing on "The Bounce" with Jay Z (Roc-a-fella Records), as well as featured on Slum Village's "Disco" remix with Timbaland and Ms. Jade (Capitol Records), plus the "Ching Ching " Remix also with Timbaland and Ms. Jade (Beatclub Records). And the fellas from Slum Village were nice enough to invite me to be a featured artist in the video along with Ms. Jade and Timbaland, which you can check out on BET and MTV starting December 8th. Upcoming tracks I will be featured on with Bubba Sparxxx & Lil Kim, Sebastian (Beatclub Records) and Petey Pablo (Jive/Zomba Records) are all extremely hot Timbaland productions set to be released on the artists' respective albums starting early 2003.

PC: When do you plan to release your CD?
RS: Right now, I'm just working with Timbaland on whatever tracks he wants me to hop on with him and other artists. He is such a musical genius, and he works so fast, so I'm just trying to keep up with him and do my best work. As far as my own CD, I'm sure it will be some time next year. The plan is to let me be heard and seen on all of these hot tracks with so many incredible artists, so that people will start noticing and asking questions about the "new Indian girl." Hopefully then by the time my own album comes out, people will be anxious to hear it and get to know my musical style better. You know, get everybody hyped on it, so that I can be the first South Asian artist to crossover into the mainstream in a huge way. I'm fortunate because I have a lot of big talented names supporting me, so I know this is going to happen far beyond what I could have hoped for.

PC: Obviously Indian music has become very popular in the hip-hop scene. Let's take "Addictive" by Truth Hurts for example, do you think Indian labels have a right to sue over something like that?
RS: Honestly, I don't think anyone was really thinking that far ahead when it comes to sampling and the right to sue as a result. Artists and producers like Truth Hurts, Dr. Dre, Jay Z and Eric Sermon are just doing what they do best - being creative and innovative. How cool is it that they chose Indian music to make hit records while indirectly paying homage to our culture. Let's keep it real before we all hop on the greedy wagon - they are making it hip and accepted to be Indian, which makes it all of the sudden possible to take pride in not just the Indian culture but what so many different cultures have to offer around the globe. That's a GOOD thing. Do Indian labels have the right to sue? I would say the worldwide exposure to our music and our culture is going to open up so many doors and make so many more people interested in the long run, that this would far outweigh any rights that may have been infringed upon from some sampling.

But that's why Timbaland is about to take it to another level again. He's backing me up so strongly, because I am the real thing, not just another sample off an old Indian record. He wants to be the first producer to use a real Indian artist and make it work. I can write and sing all the sultry hypnotic ethnic stuff that the hip hoppers dig so much, and then switch it to some straight up American R&B. That's what's gonna be different and unique, because it's something that's never been done before. I think the reason that the sampling and the Indian music started showing up was because artists and producers were looking for a new dimension to take their tracks to, but what they really ended up doing was breaking down the barriers for artists like me that have always tried to do the "East meets West" thing.

PC: There are probably several readers who envy you for your accomplishments, and I'm sure we will hear about you more as time goes on, what sort of advice would you give someone who wants to break into the music scene?
RS: I can't say that I'm at a place where I can give anyone advice, because I'm still trying to make my way, but I will say that there is absolutely NOTHING more important than sticking to it no matter what!!! You have to willingly accept the mistakes, the rejections, the obstacles, the barriers and figure out a way to overcome them - I know it sounds like a load of you know what, but that really is what makes you better and helps you grow. Face it - you can't be at your best when you first start out - you have to develop yourself as an artist as well as a person before the world will be ready to accept what you have to offer. It just takes a huge amount of perseverance and hard work... and a whole lot of praying and faith in whatever/whomever you believe in.

PC: On the subject of Desi music hitting the mainstream, could it be a blessing for Desis who are into Hip-Hop and R&B music?
RS: I'm just so excited; I can't even put it into the right words. Never did I imagine, while I was making demo after demo, trying to develop my own style and songwriting, just trying to get noticed as an artist that had something different to offer - never did I think that I would end up being the first "Desi" influenced artist to breakthrough with such major names behind me, especially not in the Hip Hop scene. If someone had told me that 5 years ago, I would have said "No way!" But here it is happening for real. I think it's an incredible blessing. I know the Black and Hispanic communities are huge, and they are represented all over the place in every different genre of music, television and movies, but I don't think the "industry" has ever really understood how huge the Desi population is, and how much we influence and contribute to their sales and successes. I want to sell multi-platinum albums and sell out concert arenas and do TV and movies right here in the states as well as worldwide, and show them how many of us are out there and how so few of us have ever been represented or even been given the opportunity to break through.

PC: You know how singers down the line want to become actors, and similarly, actors want to become singers, will we ever really see you on the silver screen?
RS: I'm not going to take away from the art form that is acting and disrespect those that possess that as their gift and just say, "Yeah, I'm going to do that, too, why not?" But who knows, I have to make music videos and do television appearances, so I might not be half bad at it. I can't say that I haven't thought about it. I'd definitely want to get an acting coach though and work at it for a while before I'd make my "debut", so you'll have to check back with me in a year or two on that one. For now, the music comes first and foremost.

PC: What would you like to say to the readers of DesiClub.com?
RS: That's easy! Please support "Raje Shwari" and all of the other Indian artists that will come in right behind me when the doors to mainstream music finally fly open with the help of big name producers like Timbaland and Jay Z. It's not about the fame or lining my pockets. It's about taking this long overdue shot and running with it...really making an impact so the "industry" sits up and takes notice, as well as music lovers around the world. The one constant rejection line that I heard repeatedly for years did not know what to do with an artist like me because "no Indian person had ever crossed over." I've heard things like "Do Indian people even buy records?" or "Sure, Indian music is just a trend that comes around every few years like when the Beatles did it, and when Madonna did it, but there's no real long term audience that will buy into it " or "People will never accept what you're doing because it's not commercial enough Raje."

What I want, more than anything, is to make them understand that we are huge in numbers, and we help make so many "American" artists go multi-platinum by contributing to their record sales. That we are the first generation born into both the Indian culture as well as the urban culture here, and we are not being represented out there like we should be. And most importantly that if they are going to turn to our culture (as well as other Eastern cultures) to influence their music, their creativity and their fashions, then we as "Desis" should be included in sharing that with the rest of the world. What I'm gonna really need is your support and help on this in a BIG way, if we're gonna make it happen for all of us in the long run.

Do you have any thoughts on this? Feel free to send Peta an e-mail @ Peta Cooper.