Bengaluru’s Ricky Kej is Narendra Modi’s muse on Paris stage

Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s Grammy-winning composer and music producer Ricky Kej is on cloud nine, and with good reason. No less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande launched Kej’s latest epic musical project, an album called Shanti Samsara – world music for environmental consciousness — at the UN conference on climate change in Paris.

The album was released to the world during the launch of the leaders’ International Solar Alliance (ISA), which brings together 121 nations to champion solar power. The entire gathering was treated to a music video from the album on Monday evening.

Talking to Deccan Chronicle, Kej said Shanti Samsara features over 300 musicians from across the globe, including seven Grammy Award winners. “We all came together to create environmental consciousness. This album celebrates nature through different cultures around the world”.

PM Modi and French President Francois Hollande launch Ricky Kej’s album in Paris on Monday (Photo: DC)

Indeed, with Sanskrit verses, words spoken by Amitabh Bachchan, Hollywood actress Frances Fisherand, BAFTA award winner Rosanna Arquette, country music legend Gary Nicholson, Canadian singer Jennifer Gasoiand and South African flutist Wouter Kellerman.

There are Zulu verses by the Grammy winning  Soweto Gospel Choir, besides Rumi and Turkish verses. Featured in the album’s 14 songs and four videos are folk music from Algeria, Senegal and India, chants by the monks of the Sherab Ling Monastery and melodies by the ‘singing nun’ Ani Choying Drolma.

It also features Asian musicians from China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and the feted voices of Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan all blending into the harmony for environmental consciousness.” Revealing how it all came together, Kej, a firm advocate of conservation, animal rights and music therapy, said he owed it to PM Modi.

“This album was conceptualised through the inspiring words of PM Modi during my meeting with him in September. I thank him for helping me to channelise my creativity and for giving me a perspective on what the world needs — environmental consciousness. I’m so happy that as a musician, I can make a small difference in this world”.

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