Ex-rapper Balendra Shah is the face of Nepal鈥檚 new guard. But can he lead a country?
| Kathmandu, Nepal
Waving to a cheering crowd from a car sunroof, wearing his signature black blazer, T-shirt, and shades, Balendra Shah looks every bit like a famous rapper that he is. But he's not visiting the eastern district of Jhapa to perform 鈥� he's celebrating a massive election win that has helped pave the way for him to become Nepal's next leader.
This rural area has long been a bastion of support for the veteran communist politician K.P. Sharma Oli, who served as Nepal鈥檚 prime minister until youth-led protests toppled the government and forced him to resign last year. In the country鈥檚 first elections since the unrest, Mr. Shah 鈥� a rapper-turned-politician widely known as 鈥淏alen鈥� 鈥� came to challenge the old guard on its own turf. His confidence paid off.
According to Nepal鈥檚 Election Commission, Mr. Shah secured 68,348 votes 鈥� the highest total ever recorded in a parliamentary race, and nearly 50,000 more than his opponent, marking one of the most dramatic upsets of the election. And with his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) winning a majority of seats in parliament, the former Kathmandu mayor is poised to become the country鈥檚 next prime minister.
Why We Wrote This
Once dismissed as a political novice, Balendra Shah is on track to become Nepal鈥檚 next prime minister. His bold leadership style has helped mobilize young voters, but could be a challenge when it comes to governing a nation.
His rise reflects a deeper upheaval in Nepal鈥檚 politics,聽driven largely by young voters frustrated with corruption, unemployment, and decades of revolving-door governments.
鈥淵oung people were attracted to the way he presented himself 鈥� direct, outspoken, and willing to challenge the traditional political culture,鈥� says Uddhab Pyakurel, professor of political sociology and acting dean of the School of Arts at Kathmandu University.
But governing this democracy of 30 million people effectively will require more than swagger.
鈥淭he expectations young people have today cannot be fulfilled overnight,鈥� says Dr. Pyakurel. 鈥淟eadership requires constant dialogue and consultation. A leader cannot simply impose decisions; they must work with institutions, parties, and the public.鈥�
Frustration with the old guard
Nepal鈥檚 political instability has been persistent. Since the monarchy was abolished in 2008, the country has had more than a dozen governments, and no prime minister has completed a full five-year term.
鈥淧ower kept circulating among a small group of old leaders,鈥� says Kathmandu-based political activist Nabeen Tiwari. At the same time, millions of young people left the country searching for work abroad.
Frustration boiled over last year when protests 鈥� initially sparked by government restrictions on social media 鈥� spread across the country and grew into demonstrations against corruption, unemployment, and economic stagnation.
鈥淎t that point there was a political vacuum,鈥� Mr. Tiwari says. 鈥淢any people were no longer willing to trust the traditional parties.鈥�
And Mr. Shah, who鈥檇 already established himself as a political outsider who could get things done, was a ready and willing alternative.
The rise of an outsider
Mr. Shah joined Kathmandu鈥檚 emerging hip-hop scene in the early 2010s, while also pursuing degrees in civil and structural engineering. Performing on city rooftops and in underground rap battles, he built a following with tracks that railed against corruption, poverty, and the country鈥檚 entrenched political class.
鈥淧eople supposed to protect the country are idiots,鈥� he raps in 鈥淏alidan鈥� (or 鈥渟acrifice鈥� in Nepali), a song viewed millions of times on YouTube. 鈥淟eaders are all thieves looting the country.鈥�
But in a rare interview with The New York Times in 2023, he said that entering politics was always part of his broader plan.
Buoyed by his popularity as a musician, Mr. Shah defeated candidates from established parties in the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral race, running as an independent. Once in office, he cracked down on illegal construction and launched efforts to improve urban management 鈥� efforts that won praise from supporters who saw him as decisive. But his methods also sparked controversy, including in 2023, when his administration cleared roadside vendors from parts of Kathmandu without providing alternative spaces for them to continue their businesses.
Throughout his tenure, he rarely spoke to the press, preferring instead to communicate directly with supporters through social media. (His team declined repeated interview requests for this story.)
It鈥檚 through those channels that Mr. Shah echoed protesters鈥� calls for the government to step down late last year. In a social media post addressed to 鈥淕en Z and all Nepalese,鈥� he urged the public to remain patient as the interim government took over.
鈥淵ou are now stepping towards a golden future,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淧lease don鈥檛 panic at this time. 鈥� This interim government鈥檚 job is to conduct elections that will give a new mandate.鈥�
In January, he announced his decision to participate in those elections, resigning as mayor and throwing his weight behind the RSP, a political party founded in 2022 that had positioned itself as antiestablishment and anti-corruption.
Realities of governing
Rebika Gurung, a 27-year-old casino manager, says she persuaded her entire family to vote for the RSP last week.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 necessarily support his party, but I voted for [it] because of Balen,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e is not only young but educated, and 鈥� has already delivered as a mayor.鈥�
Nepal is still counting votes, but so far, the RSP has secured 183 of the country鈥檚 275 parliamentary seats. Like many young voters, Ms. Gurung is frustrated by what she sees as decades of corruption and political stagnation, and hopes that Mr. Shah can use his position as prime minister to help create jobs and keep young people from moving abroad.
But some Nepalis have doubts.
Mr. Balen鈥檚 critics have described him as uncompromising, opportunistic, and impulsive. A few months ago, he posted an expletive-laden, late-night message on Facebook trashing India, China, and the United States, along with Nepal鈥檚 traditional parties. The post was later deleted.
For some observers, the episode highlighted uncertainty about how he might navigate Nepal鈥檚 delicate diplomatic balance between India and China. And although Mr. Shah鈥檚 party is emerging as the largest bloc in Parliament, he will still need to work with lawmakers from the same traditional parties he鈥檚 railed against for years, including the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal, and Maoist factions, which have won dozens of seats in Parliament.
鈥淧eople want change very badly,鈥� says Mr. Tiwari. 鈥淏ut transforming the system will be much harder than winning an election.鈥�
Yet this is a gamble many young voters are happy to take.
鈥淚f Balen does not deliver, we will again hit the streets and remove him,鈥� says Aaditya Karna, one of the Gen Z leaders in last year鈥檚 protests.
