Ricky Kej

Winds Of Samsara

musician

Bangalore

B’luru boy who won a Grammy on Monday thanks Modi, slams Indian music sceneCity-based musicianwalked away with a Grammy for his collaborative albumwith South African flautist Wouter Kellerman for the Best New Age Album category at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday.Dressed in a classic three-piece black Bassam Osman tuxedo and a jacquard vest and bow tie from Italy (“the design was inspired by Winds of Samsara”), and silver cufflinks from Orosilber, the 6’2”clutched his first ever Grammy Award and thanked…“Wouter, the recording company and all of America in general, because only in USA can an Indian and a South African receive the biggest music award”.He then thanked his wife — “the love of my life, Varsha”. But what had people talking was his quick shout out to “my Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. I hope I made you proud and you are doing a great job.” And he ended with the Vedic chant: “Asathoma Sadgamaya. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Shanti Om. Thank you.”Even in hour of honour, Kej, never one to mince words, voiced his grouse against the Indian music industry, which he feels is dominated by Bollywood.“Music of composers in India is not an extension of what they feel,” he said. “For instance when John Meyer composes music it’s about how he feels. Whereas Shankar Mahadevan’s music is dictated by what his director demands. Kajra Re was a great song, but it’s not an extension of his personal identity. He’s done it because he’s been asked to do so.”Kej does not fail to point out that although he’s been awarded the Grammy, “it’s an irony that I haven’t been nominated for the Global Indian Music Awards”. He feels that since his music has been able to break through in a foreign country he will go ahead and compose for those who appreciate it.“If my audience is here [US], then that’s where my target is. I won’t bother if they aren’t in India. It’s just important to be yourself which is what I’m going to do,” he said. Kej further added, “Even though my music is Indian, it hasn’t been played by a single radio station in India. On the other hand, here in the US, more than 450 stations are playing it.”Speaking toMirror post the after-party, Kej said that “just being nominated” was a huge honour. He says he didn’t stress about the “outcome” prior to the awards. But he reveals: “In my heart, I wanted to win. But I had prepared myself otherwise.”Soon after he collected his award he was congratulated by none other than Hans Zimmer who is known for the background scores of Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight . “In the last couple of hours, there’s just been so much excitement. It has been great to see so many people appreciative of our work,” Kej said.Kej is now looking forward to working on another album with Kellerman, which they hope to release in 2017.