Before making her presence felt as an independent artiste in India over the past few years, Raja Kumari has juggled many a credible act during her stint as songwriter for the A-league in America. With names like Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony and Fall Out Boy as collaborators, Kumari even found herself vying for a Grammy Award in 2015. Her stint with Stefani, she says, is among her most memorable moments.

"She is the real deal," says Kumari, who released her latest single, Shook, earlier this month. "[While writing songs for her] I noticed that no matter what she was going through emotionally, she was always on [at work]. She showed up with her heels on, eye-liner in place and red lipstick, and prepared to come to the booth like she was heading on stage. That made me realise that I had to be fully committed to my music, if I intended to establish myself."