Who Is Balendra Shah, Former Rapper Set to Be Nepal’s Next Prime Minister?

Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, led his party to a historic landslide in Nepal’s first election since last year’s Gen Z-led revolution, positioning himself to become the country’s youngest-ever prime minister.

In his 35 years, Shah has been a rapper, an engineer, and the mayor of Kathmandu, as well as a fan of his signature rectangular sunglasses. His Rastriya Swatantra Party (R.S.P.), a young political force that emerged from the youth-driven uprising, won a majority of 275 parliamentary seats, according to official results released on Tuesday.

The election was the first since a youth-led movement overthrew a government perceived by many Nepalis as corrupt and out of touch. While technically voters elected the R.S.P., many cast their ballots specifically for Balen, whose popularity has become synonymous with reform and action.

“People are saying, ‘Balen is a savior for Nepal,’” said Sanjeev Humagain, a political scientist at Nepal Open University. “They’re saying, in a populist way, that he’s a god.”

A socially conscious rapper and independent-minded politician, Shah has cultivated a reputation for delivering tangible results outside the traditional political establishment. During his tenure as mayor of Kathmandu, he tackled waste management, improved education, and enhanced healthcare services — achievements attributed to his independence from Nepal’s entrenched party hierarchy.

With his party’s decisive mandate, Balendra Shah now stands poised to take the helm of Nepal’s government, marking a new era for the nation’s young, reform-minded electorate.