Hoping it becomes four of FIRST TAKE four: Ricky Kej on Grammy

Music composer Ricky Kej, who has been nominated for his fourth Grammy award, says he hopes that it turns into a win and becomes "four of four". "I'm fortunate that I've been nominated three times in the past and all three times I've won. So, it is three of three. I'm hoping it becomes four of four," Kej told PTI in an interview. Kej has been nominated in the New Age Album category for "Break of Dawn". "This album has been on my mind since 2015. I was exposed to the philosophical quote that 'the impurities of the environment is a direct reflection of the impurities of the mind'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi actually said this at a speech in this event known as 'Samvad'. It was a Hindu Buddhist conference which happened in 2015,” the Bengaluru-based artist said. Renowned sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar is also nominated in the same category for her album ‘Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn'. Other nominees are "Warriors of Light" by Radhika Vekaria and "Triveni" by entrepreneur and musician Chandrika Tandon, created in collaboration with flautist Wouter Kellerman and cellist Eru Matsumoto. Shankar also earned an additional nomination for her featured role on Jacob Collier's song “A Rock Somewhere”, which also includes vocalist Varijashree Venugopal, who bagged her first nomination. Kej said he would love to collaborate with Shankar and has even reached out to her in the past.

"I'm hoping that one day we do collaborate with each other, but we know each other, we are in touch and I hope a collaboration happens,” the 43-year-old added. Another famous name on his list is legendary composer Hans Zimmer. “I've always wanted to collaborate with Hans Zimmer, the film composer. He's somebody who I've always wanted to collaborate with. I've met him twice, both times at the Grammys. We've taken a picture together... I'm hoping that one day I get the opportunity to work with Hans Zimmer,” he said. Kej first won a Grammy in 2015 for "Winds of Samsara" in the Best New Age category and later for "Divine Tides", with Stewart Copeland in 2022. In 2023, he and Copeland were honoured again for "Divine Tides", this time winning the award for Best Immersive Audio Album. The 2025 Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.