Remembering KK: Singer had a special connect with the UAE

A popular performer who often graced gigs in the UAE, KK’s most recent performance in Dubai was on May 6, 2022 at the Sheikh Rashid Auditorium with other music stalwarts like Amit Kumar and Sudesh Bhosle.

KK passed away on May 31 in Kolkata, India, at the age of 53.

“When my songs first came out in 1999, they connected with the college crowd then; even now, youngsters connect to my new music easily. Isn’t that incredible? I think that is the mainstay for any artiste in the music business. You should always be connected with your audience, your time (in the industry) does not really matter, it’s how you connect with your fans, and that I guess has been my plus point and has worked very well for me,” he told City Times back in 2019 ahead of a gig in Dubai.

In an earlier interview with City Times, post a 2014 performance in Abu Dhabi, he shared his feelings about performing in the UAE. “There are a lot of expats in the UAE - the audience is a lovely, eclectic mix of people, and I think they look forward to a lot of us guys (musicians) coming there. I’ve always had a great audience each time I’ve performed. We’ve always had a good listener base; I have enjoyed all my performances in the UAE.”

He also spoke of his musical preferences. “I like a lot of rock and pop… I love music from the 80s. I don’t mean to sound clichéd but I do think that music from that era was the most melodic and really very well produced; this goes for all genres, be it soul, jazz, pop or rock. I listen to music my son plays sometimes. But you know, if you’re alone and you want to listen to music, it has to be something that you like. Academically if I was looking at music then I would probably listen to something new and think ‘okay let me hear what this is’. But music is not something you have to understand, or analyse. I’ve always felt music. I take it as it comes.”

• India