Words that grow: from silent lyricist to German-language master

Sometimes great stories begin quietly. This is also the case with RPTU student Anuraj Sri Rajarajendran, who wrote only for himself for years and is now one of the most important voices on the poetry slam scene. The "Performing Arts" degree program was also decisive for his career, as he reports, because it shaped his self-confidence and presence in the long term.

"I'm not that much of a performer," he says and laughs - a statement that anyone who has ever seen Anuraj Sri Rajarajendran on stage would not accept. He fell in love with hip-hop as a teenager, writing lyrics with rhythm and playing with language - but for years the words just stayed in his room. He didn't dare to publish them. But then, during the coronavirus pandemic, he took the first step and uploaded his own song to a social media portal. Looking back, this moment was the starting signal for everything that followed.

While looking for a way to not only write but also share his lyrics, he came across a poetry slam in Speyer and, without hesitation, signed up to perform there. Another performance followed in Landau. His style - a mixture of humor, depth and emotional language - triggers enthusiasm - and there is a member of the audience who recognizes his extraordinary potential: Anja Ohmer, professor of the "Performing Arts" certificate course at RPTU. Impressed by his presence, she approaches him and invites him to take the degree program.

Appearing authentic - building self-confidence

Anuraj quickly realized that he wanted to be there. At the time, Anuraj was studying English and geography to become a teacher and deliberately chose the third subject "Performing Arts".

He had already liked performing arts at school - now, for the first time, he had the chance to really understand the methods behind body presence, posture, expression and stage impact. While Anuraj is now studying for a Master's degree, he says looking back that the degree program has completely changed his performance. He learned to "feel himself", as Anja Ohmer calls it: to appear authentic, to build up self-confidence and not just to read out his texts, but to perform them. And that in a competition where every detail counts - posture, breathing, pauses and voice.

Anuraj's further development was not long in coming. More and more performances followed, he won numerous slams, came fourth at the state championships, then runner-up the next year - and finally became poetry slam champion.

His talent did not go unnoticed for long in Rhineland-Palatinate: event organizers invited him to perform and the audience grew with every appearance. And along the way, he publishes his first book: a collection of his texts that reflect exactly what defines him - emotions and depth mixed with a pinch of humor.

His lyrics are "born out of a feeling"

But how do these brilliant texts actually come about? Anuraj laughs at this question, because his answer is surprisingly simple: "Out of a feeling." When a thought occurs to him, he writes it down immediately by sending it to himself via WhatsApp. And then the fine-tuning begins: he tests new texts at small slams and gauges how well they are received by the audience. He spends several months preparing for major competitions.

Before his performances, he seeks peace and quiet, takes a deep breath and lowers his heart rate. "From the moment I start speaking, all the tension falls away."

To South Africa for the Poetry Slam Championships

Things will be particularly exciting in 2026, as he is traveling to South Africa for the Poetry Slam World Championships. Different rules apply there: sometimes only three minutes, and all texts must be in English. Although this is a new challenge for Anuraj, it is also an opportunity to further develop his work and use the rest of his studies - after all, he is studying to be an English teacher.

Anja Ohmer watches his development with pride. For her, "Performing Arts" is much more than just theater. The degree program, which combines aesthetic education, didactics, independent theater projects and intensive bodywork, is designed to strengthen students - regardless of the other subject they are studying.

Presence, self-confidence, body language, public speaking, assertiveness and the ability to guide pupils: These are all skills that prospective teachers need in everyday life. She hopes that the degree program will also be opened up to primary and, above all, special education students in the future, because it is precisely there that pupils need special support and a very specific understanding of their individual learning situation. Artistic work makes it possible to get to know young people in a way that is hardly possible in regular lessons.

Versatile: skills from the "Performing Arts" degree program

Ohmer emphasizes that anyone can take part - without any stage experience. An aptitude workshop is all about having the desire to try things out and get to know each other. Technique, stage, language - or completely different talents - can all be discovered and developed there. The "Performing Arts" degree program can be taken from the fifth semester onwards or "on top", even if you have already finished your studies.

Later on, you can not only teach drama as a school subject or run a drama club at your own school - Professor Anja Ohmer is convinced that the skills you learn can also be used wonderfully in subjects such as biology, sport or math and help graduates to make lessons more creative.

For her, Anuraj is a prime example of how visible this personal development can be. "He has a huge talent that can continue to grow," she says. At the same time, she hopes that he will not lose sight of his teaching degree despite his successes.

Finding out who you are and what you want to be

For Anuraj himself, one thing is important: "You have to find out who you are and what you want to be." His path shows exactly that. He started with a feeling, with a few words that he didn't show anyone at first. Today, he touches many people with his performances and travels to international competitions - and remains someone who always wants to keep learning.

Anuraj's story inspires and motivates because it makes us realize once again that art is not created through innate ability and perfection, but through courage. Courage to write and publish your first text. Courage to step onto a stage. Courage to show yourself and your own feelings. And, above all, the courage to keep going, even if you don't yet know where the path will lead.