At the Pune Literature Festival, three-time Grammy-winning musician and UN Goodwill Ambassador Ricky Kej offered a candid reflection on his remarkable career, marked by a steadfast refusal to conform and a deep commitment to environmental activism. The 44-year-old composer, who became the youngest Indian to win a Grammy in 2015 at age 33 for his album ‘Winds of Samsara’, shared insights into the choices that defined his artistic and personal journey.
The Choice Between Fame and Authenticity
Kej described a pivotal crossroads he faced early in his career. "I had two choices: to be extremely well-known for songs that don't define me as a person, or to be lesser known for music that truly reflects who I am. I chose the second," he stated. This philosophy of authenticity became his guiding principle. He emphasized that his identity has always been dual: "All my life I've been a musician and an environmentalist. These two pillars have defined every decision I've made."
In the Indian context, where film music dominates, Kej consciously carved a niche for himself, creating sounds driven by his own sensibilities rather than cinematic scripts. This independent streak was fueled by early inspirations from legends like Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar. He recounted a transformative moment listening to Nusrat's ‘Taa Dheemi’ on a friend's Walkman, calling it a "spiritual experience" that moved him to tears and cemented his professional calling.
The Turning Point: From Commercial Jingles to Climate Anthems
For the first 13 years of his career, Kej was a prolific commercial composer, creating over 3,500 jingles for major brands including Airtel, Air India, and Coca-Cola. However, a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his 2015 Grammy win catalyzed a profound shift. "During an hour-long conversation on climate change, he casually said to me, ‘You're so passionate about this—why don't you stop everything else and only make music about these causes?'" Kej recalled. He labeled this moment a turning point, leading him to abandon all commercial work to dedicate his music entirely to environmental and humanitarian issues.
Kej views his Grammy awards not as an end goal but as a powerful "megaphone." He explained, "After my first Grammy, more people began taking my work seriously, which helped me amplify messages about climate change, the refugee crisis, and humanitarian issues." His advocacy extends beyond music through his work with the United Nations and WHO on land restoration, refugee empowerment, and safe listening practices.
Healing the Planet Through Sound and Philosophy
Kej's environmentalism is deeply rooted in a childhood surrounded by nature and the Hindu-Buddhist philosophy linking environmental health to mental well-being. "To heal the planet, we must first heal ourselves," said Kej, who was honored with the Padma Shri award this year. This belief inspired his innovative project, ‘Break of Dawn’, an album created with Stanford University and the Global Brain Institute. Based on nine ragas designed to reduce stress, the music is undergoing clinical trials with the hope that doctors might one day "prescribe" it like physiotherapy.
Kej also addressed what he termed the "Ravi Shankar syndrome" in India, where legends are revered but their music isn't widely heard. He contrasted this with Pandit Ravi Shankar's global appeal, which broke cultural barriers and attracted diverse audiences, unlike some Bollywood concerts that primarily draw the diaspora.
His passion for music was evident from a young age, leading to a compromise with his doctor father. Kej completed a degree in dental surgery before fully diving into his musical career, which had already begun to take off by the time he graduated.
A Grammy-Winning Transcontinental Collaboration
In 2020, Kej embarked on a remote, cross-continental collaboration with his hero, Stewart Copeland, the legendary drummer of The Police. Working across time zones from Bengaluru and Los Angeles, they created ‘Divine Tides’. "This collaboration changed my life," Kej admitted. "For the first time, I let go of control... I told myself, ‘Whatever he asks me to do, I'm just going to do it.'" This experience taught him that yielding to another's vision can lead to greatness. The duo met for the first time in person at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in 2022, where they won a Grammy. The album secured another Grammy in 2023 in the Best Immersive Audio Album category.
Beyond his performances, Kej is a strong proponent of compulsory music education in schools, aiming not to produce more professionals but to cultivate "informed listeners" who can appreciate and elevate the art form. His journey stands as a testament to the power of aligning one's art with one's conscience, using global platforms to advocate for the planet.
