Homegrown Composer Ricky Kej Makes India Proud At The 2023 Grammys
As the glitz and glamour of the Grammy Awards, 2023, wrapped up with some talented award-winning musicians last night, musical genius, Ricky Kej made us Indians all proud by bagging his third Grammy award. The musical composer is based out of Bengaluru and has won the prestigious award for his album, Divine Tides, which is a collaborative project with rock legend, Stewart Copeland of the iconic British band, The Police.
Divine Tides won in the category of Best Immersive Audio Album. The nine-song album features artists from around the globe — soundscapes and melodies meet pulsating rhythms amidst lush ambient textures. The listener is elevated to a realm of spiritual solitude and it is the kind of music that touches one’s soul. All individuals are interconnected and each tiny step we take affects all life around us. All individual actions play an important role in maintaining the balance of the universe. This is the conceptual idea behind Divine Tides and this theme is portrayed in the album through its diverse musical canvas that showcases a world where we can adapt to change, just like the moving tides — a world in which all life can live harmoniously and sustainably.
The two maestros shared their experiences of working together and the inspiration behind the album.
One day during the Apocalypse (lockdown), I got a call from Ricky Kej about making an album. He had assembled an amazing collection of exotic musicians, or perhaps I should say deeply traditional musicians, in the exotic context of his inspired production style. The flow of ideas soon became a torrent of recording and music. The spiritual ambiance (not something that I’m generally known for) infused my aggression upon inanimate objects with loving passion. The timpani was ringing! The crotales were singing! Making this record has been a unique adventure in both music and divine awareness.
Stewart Copeland
In 2016 I was privileged and honored to collaborate on a song with Stewart Copeland. With the support of industry veterans Ralph Simon and Tarquin Gotch, I mustered up the courage to ask him to collaborate with me yet again, this time on a complete album. What followed was one of the best and most fulfilling personal and musical experiences I could have ever asked for. Working with Stewart was like attending one of the best masterclasses imaginable. Stewart is not only a living legend, but an extremely humble human being, filled with positive energy, that pushed us to deliver our very best for Divine Tides.
Ricky Kej
Ricky Kej, dedicating his Grammy award to his motherland, India has left his countrymen brimming with pride, and the world in admiration of the musical composer. From winning his first Grammy for Winds of Samsara back in 2015, Kej has come a long way. We hope the glory days of his musical saga continue for many more years to do.
You can find out more about the two maestros and their works on their official websites.
STEWART COPELAND : https://www.stewartcopeland.net
RICKY KEJ : https://www.rickykej.com
