Ricky Kej is an Indian singer, musician, composer and record producer. In 2001, Kej started his career as a keyboardist with the Bengaluru-based progressive rock band Angel Dust. His initial successes in music were in the advertising field. He produced over 3,000 jingles during and immediately after college, landing spots with Levis, Air India, Blaupunkt, Microsoft, and dozens of others. In 2003, Ricky established his music studio named ‘Raveolution’ in Indiranagar, Bangalore.
Birth Name
Ricky Kej
Nickname
Ricky
Profession
Singer, Musician, Composer
Instrument
Vocals, Bass, Keyboards, Drums
Labels
Angel Dust
Genres
Hindustani Classical, Carnatic, Rock
Nationality
Indian
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Ricky Kej was born on the 5th of August 1981, in Punjab, India.
Age
He’s currently 42 years old.
Sun Sign
Leo
Ethnicity
Indian
He is of Punjabi and Marwari descent.
Religion
Hinduism
Education
Kej studied at the Bishop Cottons Boys School and completed his Degree in Dental Surgery at Oxford Dental College.
Family Details
- Father – Dr Gyan Kej (General Physician)
- Mother – Pammi Kej
- Siblings – Unknown
Marital Status
Single
Girlfriend / Spouse
Ricky Kej has dated –
- Varsha Gowda (2020-Present) – On 18 March 2014, Ricky got married to Varsha Gowda (daughter of former KAS officer Y K Muddukrishna). Before marriage, Varsha used to work as the assistant VP of an advertising and PR firm. Later, she also started working as a musician. As of 2022, Varsha has worked with Kej in many of his music compositions.
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet – 6 feet 2 inches
- In centimeters – 187 cm
- In meters – 1.87 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 87 kg
- In Pounds – 191 lbs
Body Build
Slim
Eye Color
Black
Hair Color
Black
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
Ricky became known as a recipient of three Grammy Awards. In 2015, he won his first Grammy award for his music album ‘Winds of Samsara’ in the Best New Age Album category. On 3 April 2022, Ricky received his second Grammy Award for his music album ‘Divine Tides’ in the Best New Age Album category. He is also the US Billboard #1 artist.
Music Debut
In 2003, Ricky Kej released his debut album, Communicative Art: Lounge from the Bay, was successful after various tracks appeared on nearly two-dozen international compilation albums.
Ricky Kej Net worth
Ricky Kej has an estimated net worth of 10 million dollars as of 2023.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Ricky Kej
- Kej moved to Bangalore, India when he was eight years old and has lived there since.
- He has revealed that his decision to follow a career in music was not an easy one for his parents to accept.
- Many of his albums are released in the US but not in India.
- In 2008, Kej issued his breakthrough second and third albums, Kamasutra Lounge: Music for Seduction, Vol. 1 and its follow-up, Kamasutra Lounge, Vol. 2 in 2008, for Water Music.
- On 17 February 2011, Ricky composed music for the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony at Dhakka.
- On 9 July 2013, he released his 13th studio album titled Shanti Orchestra.
- A track ‘Forever’ from the album was also nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media (HMMA) Award (2013).
- In 2014, Kej collaborated with the South African flautist Wouter Kellerman to release his 14th studio album titled ‘Winds of Samsara.’
- In August 2014, the album debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard New Age Albums Chart, a first for a person of Indian origin.
- In 2015, he collaborated with the English singer and musician Peter Gabriel to release a double benefit music album titled ‘2 Unite All.’
- On 26 April 2016, Ricky was named the goodwill ambassador for Save the Children’s new global campaign, Every Last Child in Jaipur.
- In 2020, Ricky collaborated with UNHCR and UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) to release the song “Shine Your Light”.
- In December 2022, Kej also performed for UNESCO MGIEP Decennial Celebration, followed by headlining concerts at “HOZO Festival” in Vietnam as well as the annual Serendipity Arts Festival in Panaji, Goa.
