Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Rachana Dahal
Nepalese singer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Rachana Dahal (Nepali: रचना दाहाल), is a Nepalese singer, songwriter, and composer known for her rebellious songs. Her work as a songwriter and composer is known for exploring intense emotional topics.[2][3]
Rachana was born in Kathmandu, Nepal and raised in Lalitpur , Nepal. She studied in a school whose administrative environment she often described as restrictive and stressful, comparing it to being in a “jail.” Despite this, her creative tendencies surfaced early. From childhood she was drawn to singing and melodies, something her parents noted she could easily catch and replicate.
A contemplative child, Rachana often spent time thinking deeply about freedom, loss, and healing. She has described herself as being philosophical from a young age, writing reflections and simple verses even before her teenage years. She was also deeply connected to animals, a passion that grew stronger when she adopted her first puppy, Simba, in seventh grade. She credits Simba as her best friend and emotional companion, helping her through dark and fearful times.
During her school years, she has stated that she was sexually assaulted by a teacher, an experience she later revealed publicly in interviews. According to Rachana, other students were also subjected to abuse, but the school administration ignored and attempted to conceal the incidents.
For years after leaving that school, Rachana struggled with the trauma. She has shared that the memory resurfaced intensely when she came across a news video of a university professor accused of sexually exploiting and blackmailing a student. After this triggering moment, she confided in her elder brother about her own experience. She later spoke to *The Kathmandu Post* and other media outlets about the abuse, helping to bring forward the voices of additional victims from the same institution.
This early injustice has significantly shaped Rachana’s worldview. She has expressed strong criticism of institutional systems in Nepal — including education and healthcare — which she believes often fail to protect or support the vulnerable. She began channeling her reflections into writing songs at a young age, describing songwriting as both a means of healing and a way of reclaiming her freedom.
Despite the caliber of her voice and lyrics, she is usually considered an underrated artist.[4][5]
Remove ads
Early life
Summarize
Perspective
Musical beginnings
Rachana’s musical journey began in earnest during middle and high school. Limited access to television meant she turned to music as her primary form of entertainment and self-expression. Around grades seven and eight, she picked up the guitar and taught herself to play. Later, she refined her skills at Musica Music Institute in Patan while also forming friendships with other aspiring musicians.
She began performing in local competitions and small gatherings, where she first experienced singing as an act of freedom and release. By high school, she was writing original songs and performing cover gigs around her hometown, earning around only NPR 1,000 per week. This small but a step to financial independence strengthened her resolve to pursue music seriously.
Her growing confidence eventually led her to release her debuting a track in 2019, marking the official start of her professional career and her album " Janmadaag " जन्मदाग । Within the first year of pursuing music 2019, she was already receiving recognition and public acclaim for her songs Bhumari and Soch. However just after two releases, in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in Nepal disrupted her progress. With limited resources and few collaborators willing to take a chance on her, Rachana found herself unable to perform or record as freely as before.
Despite these challenges, she continued to create. During the lockdown she released Sapana Ko Raja, which was initially shared as a lyrical video. The song later went viral on TikTok, introducing her to a broader audience. Around the same time, she released the song Daagbatti, accompanied by a short music video. The track reflected themes of grief and loss, resonating strongly with listeners during the difficult period of the pandemic.
When live shows resumed, Rachana performed in various venues, but she became increasingly aware of the systemic challenges facing independent female musicians in Nepal. She has spoken about how women artists were often treated as a “quota” rather than being given genuine opportunities, with most of the recognition and resources flowing to male musicians and established organizers.
In response, Rachana began organizing her own event when she signed to Nirvikalpo Pvt. Ltd. In 2023, she staged a special show dedicated to the blind community, for which she reached out to the mayor of Kathmandu, Balen Shah. The mayor supported the SHOW FOR THE BLIND by donating NPR 100,000 to the Blind House of Tarkeshwar and also provided opportunities for musicians and dancers through venues such as Nachghar, Kathmandu. This period also marked her re-launch as an artist, building a brand with a dedicated team of people who believed in her vision.[1]
Remove ads
Career
Dahal released her first song, Bhumari, in 2019, which she sang, wrote, and composed.[4] As has been the case with nearly all of her songs, it had a slow start but eventually gained popularity.[6] She then released her next song, Soch, in the same year.[1][7]
In 2020, Dahal released Sapanako Raja and Dagbatti; the latter one conveys the grief of losing a loved one.[1][8] Since then she has released other hits like Hey Bhagawan and Aagya, which made her more renowned in the Nepali music scene.[8][9]
Remove ads
Selected discography
The list below does not represent all of her songs; instead, it represents most of her well-known songs. All of which were sung, written, and composed by Dahal herself.
Awards
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads