Priya Ragu

Album art for Priya Ragu's debut album Santhosam, with Warner (UK)

Priya is an iconic superstar based in Switzerland. Manuja has been a fan since her debut mixtape Damnshestamil, and it was a joy to collaborate on Priya's 2023 album Santhosam, developed in collaboration with producer Japhna Gold.

Priya’s Tamil heritage proudly takes centre-stage in her work, most notably in her distinctive vocal cadence which weaves effortlessly through silky R&B and vibrant electro beats to create a unique Raguwavy sonic tapestry.

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The album cover design for Santhosam is a powerful collaboration between Switzerland based Priya Ragu and Indian artist Manuja Waldia, merging sound and image into a vibrant celebration of diasporic identity. Waldia’s bold visual language finds natural harmony with Ragu’s signature “Raguwavy” sound—an eclectic blend of Tamil folk, R&B, and contemporary electronic textures. Their collaboration is more than aesthetic synergy; it’s rooted in shared understanding of cultural duality and the weight of ancestral memory. Together, they craft an artwork that echoes Santhosam’s sonic themes—joy, resilience, and reflection—while honoring the journey of many Tamil families who have rebuilt life far from home.
On the front cover, Priya is depicted looking back toward her Tamil heritage, an image that holds both beauty and gravity. The styling is detailed with a meaningful hair ornament modeled after a ring worn by her brother and closest collaborator, Japhna Gold—marking the deeply personal and familial ties in her work. This act of looking back is layered: it honors not only tradition, but also the generational trauma many Tamil families endured, including fleeing the violence and genocide that uprooted so many from Sri Lanka. Waldia captures this with delicate symbolism, layering ornamental richness with quiet strength, reflecting the textured depth of Priya’s music and her reclaiming of identity through music.
The back cover offers a shift in tone and geography: a portrait of Priya set against a serene Swiss landscape. The alpine backdrop evokes the safety and stillness of a second home—Switzerland, where many Tamil families, including Priya’s, found refuge. Waldia’s art balances this contrast of lands and lives, visually translating Priya's Raguwavy sound that flows between tradition and contemporary. The result is an album cover that speaks across cultures and histories, resonating deeply not only with the Tamil diaspora but with anyone shaped by migration, memory, and the pursuit of joy and resilience amidst life's challenges.

For project inquiries, get in touch at manujawaldia@gmail.com