50 and counting! Singer KK completes half century but feels there's much more left to explore

‘If you’re happy, you don’t realise how time flies by,” says KK, when we meet him at his Andheri residence. The singer turns 50 on August 23, but ask him about it and Krishnakumar Kunnath or KK as he’s popularly known, says he doesn’t believe it’s a milestone. That, or the fact that he’s been singing professionally for the past 33 years, recording his first jingle in 1985. “I think I was lucky to have realised early on that this is what I want to do in life,” says the musician whose first stage performance was when he was in second standard. “I never faced stage fright. I only have love for the stage. When I’m there, I’m doing what I’m best at. I can’t imagine my life without music,” he adds. Over to him...

Being famous

While he was average at studies, KK realised he was a good singer when he was in school. His most favourite memories of that time include the choir practices they had every week. “My mother’s sister was really proud of me. She would always say that I will make the family proud,” he says. His aunt passed away last year, but the musician had gone to meet her earlier, and reminded her of her prediction. “I told her it’s her blessing,” he says. Now, whenever he sees his full name ‘Krishnakumar Kunnath’ displayed at stadiums, his eyes tend to well up. “I think of my aunt and what she used to say. My journey has a lot to do with people who believed in me and helped me realise my potential,” he adds.

Making his own music

From Tadap Tadap (Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam) to Dus Bahane (Dus) and from Ajab Si (Om Shanti Om) to Desi Boyz (Desi Boyz), KK acknowledges that it’s been a privilege singing songs from varied genres. But now, the musician in him wants to create music of his own. ‘High time’, we tell him and he laughs. “My first album, Pal, came out in 1999 and Humsafar in 2008. I don’t know why I take so much time. Perhaps I feel, ‘kya jaldi hai?’ Revealing that he has been working on a few melodies, the artiste says he will drop a single sometime this year. “I want to put all my energies into one song and see how it goes,” he adds. 

No insecurities

Though he might not have been prolific at playback, KK has been consistent at bringing out those chartbusters. The musician agrees. “I didn’t want to get bored of my own voice,” says the singer whose last releases included Gold and two tracks in Lashtam Pashtam. KK believes that while music constitutes a major chunk of his life, it cannot be at the cost of other things. “If I’m travelling or gigging, I don’t want to leave that midway to come and record a song. That’s the first sign of insecurity. Life is not about milestones. I am completing 50 years, I may go on for the next five years or the next 50 years, who knows? The important thing is that I’m happy with what I’m doing and connecting to people. Even if I do one song in a month, and someone says it touched him, I’m happy with that,” he says. Ask KK what’s he singing next and he laughs, “I never keep track of what I’m doing. I think ‘forgetting’ is a gift I have.” In fact, his wife Jyothy often tells him that he never remembers the bad things that happen to him. “I believe that remembering bad things only prolongs your misery. I just want to wake up every morning, wipe the slate clean and start afresh every day!” he adds.