Your full name, Radharani, means "graceful Indian queen." How has your cultural heritage influenced your music and artistry?

I feel very honored and blessed to have the name Radharani. When I was in elementary school I didn’t like it because it was “different” and no one ever knew how to say or spell it correctly. Now I completely embrace it! I grew up in what I personally call a ‘dual faith’ household. My sisters and I grew up going to Hindu Temples with my Dad, we were strict vegetarians, we learned different chants, and at the same time we still went to Church on Sundays. This type of cultural upbringing is not at all common for typical first generation Filipino families. Between Catholicism and Hinduism there are a lot of different ideologies that made me very open minded at a young age. I sang in a Church choir while I was learning Indian songs and scales. This culturally enriching experience has certainly contributed to my artistry. On top of that, Filipinos in general are very musical and love karaoke, so all of these elements get thrown into my proverbial creative pot.

Collaborating with Tony Award-winning director Jhett Tolentino for the film "Asian Persuasion" must have been exciting. How was the experience and what was the creative process like?

Asian Persuasion was the first film / sync placement / songwriting opportunity I was ever given! Hearing my voice and song in a movie was something my younger self would’ve thought was far-fetched and complicated. The creative process was much different compared to how I typically write my own songs. After meeting Jhett Tolentino in Montclair, NJ for brunch he sent over the movie script for me to read through. I created a song exclusively tailored to the film and a whopping two minutes and thirty two seconds of the song “In Your Favor” was placed in the film! I placed myself in the shoes of both characters and found middle ground to musically illustrate their grief and sadness into an acoustic ballad. This was definitely a new challenge for me but I loved every moment of it. The final product for all 3 songs came out amazing. I really enjoyed working with Jhett and would happily welcome any future collaborations with him.

What has been your greatest challenge as an artist and what have you learned from it?

The biggest challenge that comes to mind throughout my artist journey was the process of becoming fully independent. Since I was 17, I always had someone in the picture “dictating my creative vision.” For almost all of my life, I felt like a puppet to someone else's dream. My incompetence of the music industry was weaponized against me and I was taken advantage of for years. When I became fully independent it felt like I was dropped on an empty island in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no direction. I realized I never truly knew who I was as an artist and it felt like I was starting all over again... and again... and again... it still feels this way sometimes. But I do not see myself as a victim. I see it all as a lesson and blessing in disguise. Everything needed to happen the way it did so I could learn the importance of protecting my artwork. The Music business can be overwhelming but it is extremely necessary for independent artists to understand the ins and outs if they want to pursue music professionally!

If your career were a movie, what would be the title of the next chapter — and what would the opening scene look like?

If my life was a movie, the next chapter would be called “trust yourself.” The opening scene would be more symbolic and metaphorical. It’d be a scene of me placing my hand on a mirror staring at myself saying “trust yourself.” Sometimes it’s scary to think about diving in and trusting your gifts to keep you afloat - for the rest of your life at that. Since I was in college, I’ve always done a lot of mirror work where I read positive affirmations to myself to empower my creativity. I write uplifting messages on my mirror that I look at everyday to help me stay intuitive and grounded. I’m a firm believer in “what you think you become” and so the mirror to me is a symbol of reflection and transformation.

What advice would you give to emerging artists?

“Everyone has a gift, but it is only a gift if you share it.” Good or bad, keep creating and share your work! The opposite of depression is expression! Put it out because one day it’ll be really rewarding to look back and visually see your growth. In addition, when I made the mental shift to ‘live creatively,’ the journey became more fun. What I mean by this is that I began to see art in absolutely everything. When I’d go about my day, I’d pick up inspiration from just being outside. I could hear a siren and be like “that could be a sample!” or I could look at a railroad and think to myself “this is a great location for a music video!” I believe when you naturally live and think creatively, inspiration doesn’t run out. To me, being an artist is more than creating songs, it’s realizing your physical existence, your soul, and mind as art. Lastly, I believe staying grounded and grateful is also key. Don’t create art in exchange for clout and material things, create because it genuinely makes your soul feel happy. Do what feels true and authentic.

BONUS: If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

It would be a dream to collaborate with Bruno Mars. Bruno Mars seems to have the songwriting game figured out. He has such a keen ear for making timeless hits. I grew up learning to sing and belt high notes to his music. I love how he is able to go back in time to create an 80’s or classic 90’s sounding hit. He has amazing vocal technique that radiates confidence all around. Can’t forget he’s part Filipino as well! Creating a song and being on stage with him would be a dream come true!