Jay Kay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jay Kay
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Kay performing with Jamiroquai at the 2018 Coachella Music Festival
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Jason Luís Cheetham
30 December 1969 Stretford, Greater Manchester, England
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| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) | Maria Kay |
| Partner(s) | Denise van Outen (1998–2001) |
| Children | 2 |
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Jason "Jay" Kay (born Jason Luís Cheetham on December 30, 1969) is a British singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the band Jamiroquai. Jay Kay helped start Jamiroquai in 1992. The band plays a mix of acid jazz and funk music. By 2017, Jamiroquai had sold over 26 million albums around the world.
Outside of music, Jay Kay is famous for his amazing collection of luxury cars. He has appeared on popular car shows like Top Gear and Fifth Gear. He also cares about the environment and has supported causes to protect it.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Jay Kay was born Jason Luís Cheetham in Stretford, England, on December 30, 1969. His mother was an English cabaret singer named Karen Kay. His father was a Portuguese guitarist, Luís Saraiva. His parents separated, and Jay Kay did not meet his biological father until he was about 28 years old.
Jay Kay had an identical twin brother named David. Sadly, David passed away just a few weeks after they were born. Jay Kay has shared that his mother mostly raised him by herself. Because his mother was a singer, he moved around a lot as a child. He spent part of his childhood living in the countryside of Suffolk.
He went to several boarding schools, including some in Devon and Colchester. He often went with his mother to her performances. They even traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she would perform. When he was 13, his family moved to West Ealing, London. He moved out of his family home when he was 16. At 15, he faced difficult times and had to find ways to survive. After a challenging experience, he returned home. He then worked as a break-dancer and soon started his music career. It was once reported that he tried out to be a singer for the Brand New Heavies but did not get the spot. However, the band later said this was not true.
Music Career with Jamiroquai
Jay Kay started the band Jamiroquai in 1992. The original band members included Toby Smith on keyboards, Nick Van Gelder on drums, Stuart Zender on bass, and Wallis Buchanan playing the didgeridoo. Derrick McKenzie later became the drummer.
After their first song, "When You Gonna Learn," became a hit, Jay Kay signed a big record deal with Sony Soho2. The band's first album was called Emergency on Planet Earth. Jamiroquai's partnership with Sony ended in 2007. The band has sold more than 26 million albums worldwide. Sometimes, people mistakenly call Jay Kay "Jamiroquai" because they think the band is just one person.
Jay Kay's Famous Hats
Jay Kay is well-known for wearing many different and unique hats. Because of his love for headwear, people often call him "the mad hatter" or "the cat in the hat." In 2005, he even launched his own clothing line called "Quai," which included his signature hats.
Some people have discussed his use of certain headwear, especially those resembling Native American headdresses. These were seen in the music video for "Corner of the Earth" and on the album cover for Rock Dust Light Star.
In 2017, Jay Kay received the BMI President's Award at the BMI London Awards. That same year, he had a serious spine injury. He needed surgery, which caused Jamiroquai to cancel two shows in Tokyo. These shows were later rescheduled.
TV Appearances
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Jay Kay has appeared on several TV shows. He was on an episode of the BBC series The Naked Chef with chef Jamie Oliver. He also performed his song "Canned Heat" on Strictly Come Dancing.
He has been a guest on many other TV shows, either singing or being interviewed. These include The Word, The Girlie Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
Jay Kay on Top Gear
Jay Kay has appeared on the BBC car show Top Gear four times. In one episode, he set a fast lap time of 1:48.1 in the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" challenge. He drove a Suzuki Liana. This was the fastest lap time for the entire first series and most of the second series.
In another episode, he drove his Lamborghini Miura with Richard Hammond as a passenger. His third appearance was in 2008. He drove a Chevrolet Lacetti and set a lap time of 1:45.81. This beat the previous top time held by Simon Cowell. His record for that car remained unbeaten throughout the show's run, even with 58 other drivers. Jay Kay won Top Gear's "John Sergeant Award" for the best dance after learning his lap time was the fastest in 2008. He also appeared on the Channel 5 show Fifth Gear in 2004. On this show, he gave a tour of his property and showed off his car collection.
Jay Kay's Car Collection
By 2013, Jay Kay owned hundreds of cars, mostly sports cars. The cover of Jamiroquai's album Travelling Without Moving even features an image inspired by the Ferrari car logo. Some people have wondered how his love for luxury cars fits with Jamiroquai's songs about environmental concerns. Jay Kay has explained that he does not drive his cars very often. He said he drives about 3,000 miles a year because he is often on tour. He also joked that he can only drive one car at a time!
Three of Jay Kay's cars appeared in the music video for the song "Cosmic Girl". One of the cars was badly damaged, and its replacement also had an accident. Jay Kay was not involved in either incident. In 2011, he visited Maranello to see the new Ferrari 458 Spider. His car collection has included a unique 1965 Ferrari 330 GT Vignale Shooting Brake. He sold this car in 2018 for $313,000.
The song "Black Devil Car" from the album Dynamite is a tribute to his black Ferrari Enzo. A small model car of Jay Kay's black Enzo was even made by Hot Wheels. Some of these models had his signature on the windshield.
In 2012, Jay Kay competed in a celebrity race at the Silverstone Classic. He finished third, behind singer Brian Johnson from AC/DC and actor Kelvin Fletcher. At the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Jay Kay showed off his bright green LaFerrari. It was the only one of its color in the world. He sold this car in 2019.
Personal Life
From 1998 to 2001, Jay Kay was in a relationship with TV personality Denise van Outen.
Jay Kay is married to Maria Kay. They have two daughters named Carla and Tallulah. The song "Carla" from the Automaton album is a tribute to his first daughter. There is also a song called "Talullah" on Jamiroquai's 2005 album Dynamite.
Since 1995, Jay Kay has owned Horsenden Manor in Buckinghamshire, England. He has a recording studio, a granary, and garages there. In 2020, he applied to make the property larger. He has also talked about making his home environmentally friendly. He tends to his garden without harmful chemicals, cares for animals, and has an eco-friendly waste system. Jay Kay and the band also donate a lot of their earnings to environmental causes. He used to own a property in Gairloch, Scotland, but sold it in 2022.
In a 1996 interview, Jay Kay shared his beliefs. He said he follows "the religion of the trees and the greenery" and "the religion of the moon." He believes in the energy and spirits that people leave behind.
See also
In Spanish: Jay Kay para niños
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
