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, Lancashire, 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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Jay Kay, born Jason Luís Cheetham on December 30, 1969, is a British singer and songwriter. In 1992, he helped start the acid jazz and funk band Jamiroquai. He is still their main singer. By 2017, the band had sold over 26 million albums worldwide.
Outside of music, Kay loves luxury cars. He has appeared on TV shows like Top Gear and Fifth Gear. He has also worked to help the environment.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Jay Kay was born Jason Luís Cheetham in Stretford on December 30, 1969. His mother was English singer Karen Kay. His father was Portuguese guitarist Luís Saraiva. Jay Kay did not meet his father until 2001. Jay Kay also had an identical twin brother, David, who sadly died a few weeks after they were born.
Jay Kay said his mother raised him mostly by herself. This meant he moved around a lot as a child. He spent time living in the countryside in Suffolk and Devon. Later, he moved to Manchester with his mother and step-father. He often went with his mother to her shows. He also went to Oakham School. When he was 15, he didn't have a home for a short time. He later returned home and started working as a break-dancer. Soon after, he began his music career.
Music Career with Jamiroquai
Jay Kay started the band Jamiroquai in 1992. Other early members included Toby Smith (keyboards) and Wallis Buchanan (didgeridoo). After their first song, "When You Gonna Learn", became popular, Kay signed a big record deal. The band's first album was Emergency on Planet Earth. Jamiroquai has sold more than 26 million albums around the world. 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 fancy hats. Because of his love for headwear, people often call him "the mad hatter." In 2005, he even started his own clothing line called "Quai." This line included his special hats. Some people have criticized him for wearing Native American headdresses. These include the feathered war bonnet. He wore these in music videos and on album covers.
In 2017, Jay Kay received the BMI President's Award. This award recognized his musical achievements. That same year, he hurt his spine badly. He needed surgery, which caused Jamiroquai to cancel two shows in Tokyo. These shows were part of their Automaton Tour. They were rescheduled for later that year.
TV Appearances
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Jay Kay has appeared on many TV shows. He was on the BBC show The Naked Chef with chef Jamie Oliver. He also sang "Canned Heat" on Strictly Come Dancing.
He has been a guest on many other TV shows. These include The Word, The Girlie Show, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Top Gear and Cars
Kay has been on the BBC car show Top Gear four times. In one episode, he set a fast lap time in the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" challenge. He held the fastest time for a long time. In another episode, he drove his Lamborghini Miura with Richard Hammond. His third time on the show, he beat the fastest lap time set by Simon Cowell. Jay Kay won an award on Top Gear for having the best dance after learning his lap time was the fastest in 2008. He also appeared on the show Fifth Gear. On that show, he showed off his amazing car collection.
Jay Kay's Car Collection
By 2013, Jay Kay owned hundreds of cars. Most of them were sports cars. The cover of Jamiroquai's album Travelling Without Moving shows a special logo that looks like the Ferrari crest. Some people have said it's strange that he loves luxury cars so much. This is because Jamiroquai's songs often talk about caring for the environment.
Jay Kay explained that he doesn't drive his cars very often. He said he drives about 3,000 miles a year. He is often on tour or busy with other things. He also joked that he can only drive one car at a time.
Three of Jay Kay's cars were in the music video for the song "Cosmic Girl". One of the cars was completely ruined in an accident. The replacement car also had an accident that broke its windshield. Jay Kay was not involved in either of these incidents. In 2011, he visited the Ferrari factory to see the new Ferrari 458 Spider. His car collection also included a special 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 about his black Ferrari Enzo. You could even buy a small model of his black Enzo car. Some of these models had his signature on the windshield.
Jay Kay also raced in the Celebrity Challenge at the 2012 Silverstone Classic. He finished third in the race. 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" from Jamiroquai's 2005 album Dynamite.
Since 1995, he has lived at Horsenden Manor in Buckinghamshire. He has a recording studio, a granary, and garages there. In 2020, he asked to make his property bigger. He has also talked about making his home good for the environment. He grows his own garden without chemicals. He also takes care of farm animals. He has a special system for waste that is eco-friendly. He also recycles as much as possible. Jay Kay and the band also give a lot of their earnings to help environmental causes.
In a 1996 interview, Jay Kay talked about his beliefs. He said, "I follow the religion of the trees and the greenery. I follow the religion of the moon. I believe in what people leave behind in the sense of trails and spirits, the energy which they project. I believe in vibrations, which is what the whole world runs on."
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
