Kay Kay:‘K’ing of hearts

doweshowbellyad=0; Kay Kay. (TOI Photo) More picsCall him Kay Kay or call him Krishna Kumar. It really doesn’t matter because his voice remains the same — as mesmerising as ever. He is such a prolific singer that even his die-hard fans can be ignorant of some of his songs.
Not just that. The singer is constantly touring and enchanting people with his live performances.Says he, “I love performing live. I like every aspect of touring, be it travelling and meeting new people. The proximity of the audiences and the energy at a live show really charge me up. You can get an instant response from the crowd at a live show. If you don’t, you know you are not singing well.”
The fact that he shares a great rapport with his band of nine years makes touring all the more fun. “We are like an extended family. We hang out together and have a ball of a time, and then go on stage and have a ball again,” he says. The song Yaaron Dosti became a farewell anthem of sorts, and still is. When the song was written, did he know that it would be such a great success? “I had told Mehboob I wanted a song about love and friendship, as I’ve always believed you can’t have one without the other. After the song was written, I knew it had a melody besides the obvious one. I don’t think anyone else would have been able to write it like he did,” replies Kay Kay.
With music talent shows flooding the television, does he really feel these shows showcase real talent? Says he, “There are lots of singers who are being identified at these shows. It’s a good platform for them, but what’s important is that they should be able to carry on even after the temporary fame fades away. Even when I was judging a music talent show, I saw that a lot of youngsters got into it for instant fame. They need to realise that this fame doesn’t last. Focus is important. Those who have focus will get where they want to, whereas those who are in it for instant fame are definitely in the wrong space.”
Although Kay Kay is all over the Indian music scene, his music does have Western influences. Says he, “I usually listen to rock, and like Mr Big, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Extreme, Guns and Roses, Eagles, Billy Joel and Sting. I haven’t learnt music, but I’ve learnt to listen to people sing and I draw my influences from them.” Kay Kay is eagerly waiting for the release of his next album. “My album Humsafar is due to release this month. I’ve composed all the songs myself and the video will be out soon,” he confirms.
Since he is constantly on the go, it’s ironic that the only thing that’s always on his hand is his watch. “I always have my wristwatch with me. That is the only thing I always carry with me,” smiles Kay Kay. Let’s hope that Kay Kay has enough time to enthral his audiences time and again.