I think the thrill will always be there: Ricky Kej on second Grammy nomination

Indian composer Ricky Kej made his country proud, when he won a Grammy Award for his album Winds Of Samsara in 2015. Now, he’s treading the same path, again. Kej’s album, Divine Tides, with rock legend Stewart Copeland, has been nominated in the Best New Age album category. Ask him how a second nomination feels like, and Kej says, “I think the thrill will always be there. My previous Grammy Award came in 2015. I’ve evolved as a human being and artiste in the last five years and it makes me happy to know that my music resonates with audiences around the world.”

The musician says while the title makes a huge impact in an artiste’s life, it also comes with a responsibility. “A Grammy Award offers a massive platform, but it’s totally dependent on what an artiste does with it. I never take awards for granted. Using them for vanity is pointless. Using these platforms for the greater good is what matters to me. Winning a Grammy in the past acted as a catalyst in accelerating the process of taking forward the causes that I strongly believe in and with this nomination, I can only be more certain,” says Kej, who is also an environmentalist.

Interestingly, works by a few Indian musicians like Rohan Solomon, Vineet Singh Hukmani and Kiara Chettri is in the consideration list for the Grammys. And Kej’s nomination comes as a cherry on top. Ask him how it feels to be a representative from the Indian music space at such a platform, and Kej elatedly says, “I am humbled to represent my country through my music. I hope this nomination helps inspire budding musicians to make music from the heart and take inspiration from India’s rich musical heritage that’s extremely unique and diverse.”