Lara Raj is an Indian-American singer, dancer, and actress best known as a member of the global girl group KATSEYE, whose multicultural lineup and reality-show origins have made them one of the most visible new acts in international pop.
Born Lara Rajagopalan to a Tamil family with roots in India and Sri Lanka, she grew up between Texas and New York in a home filled with music and performance. She began singing, dancing, and acting as a child; training in vocal performance, dance, and acting, and appeared in commercials and small television roles before her teens. Alongside her older sister, she experimented with songwriting and production, posting covers online that eventually caught the attention of HYBE and Geffen Records.
That visibility led to her participation in The Debut: Dream Academy (2023), the global competition series that formed KATSEYE. Finishing near the top of the show, Lara earned a place in the final lineup and debuted as one of the group’s main vocalists. Their formation and training process was later documented in the Netflix series Popstar Academy: KATSEYE (2024). Earlier in her career, she also appeared in commercials and guest-starred on The Blacklist (2013-2023). Being a part of KATSEYE, she has helped shape a sound that blends polished pop, sharp choreography, and cross-cultural influences. She also stands out for her deliberate celebration of her heritage, often incorporating bindis, an Om symbol (ॐ) necklace, and other South Asian signifiers into her styling as a statement of pride and representation.
With KATSEYE, Lara’s rise has unfolded on an increasingly global scale. The group’s releases have charted internationally, fueled viral dance challenges and online trends, and earned them major industry recognition, including a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammys. Campaigns like their partnership with Gap, Better in Denim (set to Kelis’ “Milkshake”), and trends like KATSEYE’s hit song “Gnarly”, became social media sensations, with Lara’s performance clips circulating widely across social media.
Lara has also become an important LGBT voice within the idol and girl-group space. In messages to fans, she shared that she has known she was queer since childhood and jokingly described herself as “half fruitcake”, explaining that she’s attracted to people of all genders and doesn’t feel confined by strict labels. While many outlets use the term “queer”, her own description places her under the bi umbrella, making her visibility especially meaningful for bi fans in an industry where bi identities are often overlooked or erased. By speaking openly and casually about her experiences, she offers necessary representation for young listeners navigating similar feelings. Lara has publicly stated that she is very proud of her sexuality and how her coming out has inspired and helped many fans.
As KATSEYE’s career expands across international charts, touring, and major industry recognition, Lara continues to balance pop visibility with cultural and queer advocacy. Her openness about her sexuality and her commitment to South Asian representation have made her presence significant beyond music, positioning her among a new generation of artists reshaping bi visibility in global pop.
