KK (Singer) Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

 Some Lesser Known Facts About KK

• KK, also known as Kay Kay, was a renowned Indian playback singer. He gained popularity for his soulful renditions of songs such as ‘Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai’ from the film Woh Lamhe… (2006), ‘Tu Hi Meri Shab’ Hai from Gangster (2007), ‘Aankhon Mein Teri’ from Om Shanti Om (2007), ‘Khuda Jane’ from Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), and ‘Tu Jo Mila’ from Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). Tragically, on 31 May 2022, he passed away due to cardiac arrest at the Nazrul Mancha auditorium in Kolkata. Throughout his illustrious 30-year career, KK recorded songs in multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, and Gujarati.

• While discussing his journey into music, he explained, “I have always had a natural affinity for music, effortlessly connecting with its melodies. My love for music was heavily influenced by my family background. My grandmother, a music teacher, imparted her knowledge to me, and my mother, a performer herself, graced the stage. From a young age, I have fully immersed myself in music, enthusiastically learning and singing songs. The exhilaration of performing in front of loved ones and receiving their applause has consistently brought me immense joy.”
• During KK’s formative years, he engaged in numerous music competitions and actively contributed to rock bands throughout his schooling and college experience.

• During an interview, he disclosed that he had never felt compelled to acquire musical skills. Consequently, when his parents enrolled him in a music class during his early years, he swiftly withdrew from it after only three days. He expressed, “I attended for a short duration of three days, but my encounter was anything but enjoyable.” Being a firm believer in the boundless nature of music, he found it challenging to comprehend the need for learning how to sing. Consequently, he made the decision to leave the class and never returned.
• It is quite unexpected that the singer has never undergone formal music training.

• When he was in 9th grade, he performed his first song on stage, which happened to be “Fernando” by ABBA.

• He crossed paths with Jyothy Lakshmi for the first time in 1980 during their school days, and he was immediately smitten with her. It was during KK’s 10th standard when he mustered up the courage to express his feelings to Jyothy, asking her to be his lifelong companion.

• During an interview, he revealed that he performed his beloved romantic song, “Pyaar Deewana Hota Hai,” for Jyothy at the annual function in his neighborhood. Reflecting on that moment, he explained that since our parents were in attendance, I couldn’t express my feelings directly. Consequently, I resorted to stealing glances at her while singing, seizing a few stolen moments.
• With unwavering determination to marry the love of his life, KK dedicated six months of his life to pursuing a sales job, all in hopes of becoming an eligible groom. In a lighthearted manner, he shared his love story during an interview, stating, “I had to lock down a job to evade any scrutiny about my profession and prevent being dismissed when I mentioned my passion for singing.”
• After recording his first jingle, titled ‘Usha the number one’, in Delhi, he came to the realization that Mumbai was a more favorable location to kickstart his music career.

• After getting married in 1991, he briefly worked as a marketing associate in the hotel industry before making the decision to relocate to Mumbai and pursue a music career.

• Having moved to Mumbai, he began his musical career as a jingle singer by sharing his demo tapes with Louis Banks, Ranjit Barot, and Lesle Lewis in 1994. Despite facing numerous challenges in entering the Bollywood music industry, KK eventually found an opportunity with UTV media company. He secured a breakthrough when he lent his voice to a one-minute jingle for Santogen Suitings.

• Following the recording, Music director Ranjit Barot approached KK to discuss his fee. KK, who was unfamiliar with the payment structure in the industry, felt hesitant to respond. Later, when Ranjit gestured with five fingers, KK mistakenly believed he would be compensated Rs. 500. However, his astonishment grew when he received Rs. 5000 instead.

• With a repertoire of 3,500 jingles in eleven different Indian languages, including popular ones like ‘Yo Frooti’ and ‘Pepsi’s Yeh Dil Mange More,’ KK had firmly established himself as a renowned jingle singer.

• He regarded Lesle Lewis as his mentor and attributed his accomplishment in the jingle industry to him.

• He provided the vocals for the song “Strawberry Kannae” in the Tamil movie Minsara Kanavu (1997) and “Strawberry Ankhein” in its Hindi dubbed version, Sapnay (1997). He also lent his voice to other dubbed songs such as “Yedu Rangula Prema” and “Maargayare” for the Telugu film ‘Prema Nagar,’ which was the dubbed version of Tamil Minsara Kanavu (1997).

• His debut album, Pal, released under the Sony Music India label in 1999, brought him fame. Lesle Lewis composed the album, which became extremely popular among the youth of the 90s due to its upbeat, romantic, and relatable songs. The tracks “Pal” and “Yaaron” from the album became regular features at school and college farewell events during that era.

• He rose to stardom in the same year when he gained immense popularity with the chart-topping song ‘Tadap Tadap’ from the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, composed by A.R. Rahman.
• After the success of KK’s album Pal, he was drawn towards the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, prompting him to focus on playback singing instead of releasing non-film songs. During an interview, he explained that both ‘Pal’ and ‘Tadap tadap’ from ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ came to him at the same time, presenting two different paths for him to choose. Ultimately, he recognized that the allure and fame offered by the film industry were unmatched. Creating his own music would require disconnecting from his surroundings, which was not his intention.
• During the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he contributed his voice to the song ‘Josh of India’ as a tribute to the Indian Cricket Team.

• Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, and KK joined forces in 2001 to lend their voices to the popular song “Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe,” which was included in the movie ‘Dil Chahta Hai.’ In the years that followed, Shankar Mahadevan went on to deliver numerous chart-topping tracks, including “Such Keh Raha Hai” from the film ‘Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein’ (2001), “Zara Sa” and “Dil Ibaadat” from ‘Jannat’ (2008), and “Piya Aaye Na” from ‘Aashiqui 2’ (2013).

• He made an appearance as a judge on the music reality TV show Fame Gurukul in 2005.

• He performed a rendition of the song ‘Tu Aashiqui Hain’ during his appearance on MTV Coke Studio (Season 1). Later, in 2014, he featured on MTV Unplugged (India)-Season 3.

• In addition to his work in films, he has also lent his voice as a playback singer for the title songs of several Indian TV shows such as Just Mohabbat (1996), Shaka Laka Boom Boom (2001), Star Parivaar Awards (2010), and Just Dance (2011). Furthermore, in 2008, he showcased his singing talent by performing “Tanha Chala” for the Pakistani TV show The Ghost.

• Kunnath is the name of his mother’s house in India Forums.

• Originally sung by KK, the song “Maa” from the movie “Taare Zameen Par (2007)” underwent some modifications. However, as KK couldn’t make the required changes, Shankar Mahadevan stepped in and re-recorded the song.

• In 2008, KK unveiled his second album titled “Humsafar.” The album showcased a fusion of Bengali Baul with rock and a touch of S D Burman in the song “Raina Bhai Kaari.” Additionally, the album featured the English rock track “Cineraria.” Notably, KK collaborated with his 13-year-old son, Nakul, on the song “Masti.” “Humsafar” by KK introduced a diverse range of musical styles and heartfelt collaborations.

• The year 2013 saw the inception of Rise Up (Colors of Peace), a musical endeavor aimed at transforming Fethullah Gülen’s Turkish poems and writings into melodic compositions. This project birthed an album called Rise Up, which encompassed songs performed by diverse artists hailing from 12 countries. Among these artists was KK, who contributed his vocal prowess to the captivating track “Rose of My Heart.”

• Following a gun salute, his mortal remains were transported to the airport and subsequently flown to Mumbai, where his final rites are scheduled to take place.

• KK was the proud owner of an Audi RS5, and he would often be seen cruising around in his sleek car.