In conversation with Indian musician Ricky Kej, 3-time Grammy Award winner and environmentalist

‘It is always surreal to live through the moment of winning another Grammy,’ says Ricky Kej.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Bengaluru-based music composer and environmentalist Ricky Kej, 41, scored a Grammy hat-trick last fortnight when he won the prestigious award in the ‘Best Immersive Audio Album’ category for Divine Tides, his collaborative work with rock legend Stewart Copeland. The nine-song ensemble had also won a Grammy last year for the ‘Best New Age Album’. 

A self-taught musician who has performed in over 30 countries, Kej’s repertoire, which has a strong Indian influence, includes several studio albums released internationally, over 3,500 commercials and music for feature films, including the award-winning natural history documentary Wild Karnataka, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Back in his hometown, Bengaluru, Kej recounts the excitement of representing India on the world stage and using his music for the larger good. Edited excerpts:

Your “unattainable dream of a Grammy” has become a reality three times over. Have you come to terms with it?

It is always surreal to live through the moment of winning another Grammy. It has been a few days now and congratulatory messages are still pouring in. I am extremely grateful for all the love and I am incredibly thankful for having had another opportunity to make India proud on the music world’s biggest platform.

It must be a rewarding experience working with Stewart Copeland?

(L to R) Ricky Kej, Herbert Waltl (music producer) and Stewart Copeland with the Grammy for ‘Best Immersive Audio Album’ at the 65th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Copeland is an absolute legend. It has been a lifetime’s honour to work with someone I consider my musical hero, let alone win two Grammys alongside him. Stewart is not just the founder and frontman of one of the biggest-selling bands in history (The Police), he regularly composes for operas, orchestras, and has worked on over 50 Hollywood films. Despite reaching the pinnacle of success, he is constantly evolving and learning by exploring new sounds, traditional musical instruments and rhythms. Working with Stewart is like attending the best masterclass imaginable.

Your Grammy this year was in the ‘Best Immersive Audio Album’ category. Tell us about its conceptualisation?

Divine Tides is a multilayered album with expansive soundscapes from across the world. We envisioned this album as a sensory experience from the ground up and used Sony’s cutting-edge 360RA technology to facilitate this. Working with industry legends and immersive mix pioneers Herbert Waltl and Eric Schilling helped elevate the album to new heights and we are thrilled to get this worldwide recognition for our efforts.

How are technology and artificial intelligence transforming music?

Technology in music creation has grown by leaps and bounds. I have always made the most of technology to record remotely, to develop new sounds, etc. There is fear among musicians about the impact that artificial intelligence will have on their careers. Talent and creativity are among the strongest traits of the human race and it’s solely because of these traits that we have come so far in just a few thousand years. Musicians have to believe in themselves and understand the power of music, which is a surreal human experience. Artificial intelligence cannot replicate that.

Can music help in creating a better environment? What about your music?

Music is a powerful universal language and has always played a role in evoking an emotional response. Throughout history, this is why music has been used in political activism, public protests, grassroots movements, sports, and several other areas to create awareness and to stir action. I have always believed that it is only when people start acknowledging an issue and have a dialogue to solve it, will a solution come. My aim is to inspire this dialogue through my music.

Ever since I won the Grammy, I have dedicated my life to raising awareness on various environmental and social issues. I have created anthems for various causes, including official songs for the UN and other global non-profit organisations such as the WWF and Earth Day Network. I work with governments, global bodies, scientists, and other world leaders to effectively convey urgent complex messages related to the environment through the powerful language of music. 

Through my live concerts in India and around the world, I can directly interact with hundreds of thousands of people and disseminate these important messages. I strongly believe that all of this has and will continue to inspire people to make a tangible difference to our environment. I have a bunch of live performances lined up, starting with the G20 summit in Bengaluru. I also have a couple of ideas for a new album. I am excited to start work on that soon.

Is the music industry seeing a recovery post pandemic?

The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hit the entire industry extremely hard. We all had to learn to adapt to the situation and find different ways to disseminate our music because no matter what challenges arise, music will never leave our lives. 

What do you think of the music scene in India vis-à-vis some of the western countries?

India produces very high-quality music, on a par with international standards. The issue is with the content. Every song is either a love track or an item number since it is the film industry that provides a large percentage of the music content consumed by Indian listeners. Even independent musicians compose songs hoping to get a chance to work in the film industry, and end up creating music that is not from the heart.

One of the main differences that I see is that a popular western band/ artist will be able to draw a crowd in any part of the world and the audience will comprise all nationalities; however, an Indian artist making music for Indian films can only draw an audience comprising the Indian diaspora everywhere they go.

Collaborations seem to be a powerful way going forward for artists?

I am a huge fan of collaborations. I enjoy working with people who are more talented than me as this drives me to work harder. I have been extremely fortunate to collaborate with some of my musical heroes and I always learn a lot with each collaboration. 

Do Indian musicians need mentors to make it in the West?

Every time I am in Los Angeles, I make it a point to meet my mentor and the reason why I have an international career — Rod Linnum. When I was a 19-year-old making music in my bedroom in India, he heard my music all the way in Los Angeles and offered me a record deal. At the time, he was vice-president of Universal Music.

I met him over 20 years ago at a time when musicians did not have opportunities in terms of technology, social media, marketing, streaming, etc., that they have now. Independent musicians had to solely rely on record labels and touring to be heard whereas there are a lot more opportunities available now. Upcoming musicians just need to stay true to themselves and work hard because I believe that hard work can compensate for any lack of talent that one might have.

The interviewer is a Bengaluru-based independent journalist and writer.