KK (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids KK
KK performing at the Jockey Club Auditorium in Hong Kong, 2012
Born	Krishnakumar Kunnath (1968-08-23)23 August 1968 Delhi, India
Died	31 May 2022(2022-05-31) (aged 53) Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Alma mater	Kirori Mal College (University of Delhi)
Occupation	Playback singer
Years active	1994–2022
Spouse(s)	Jyothy Krishna ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Indian pop Bollywood music

Krishnakumar Kunnath (born 23 August 1968 – died 31 May 2022), known to everyone as KK, was a famous Indian playback singer. A playback singer is someone who sings songs for actors in movies. KK sang songs mainly in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada languages. He was known for being able to sing many different kinds of music. Many people think he was one of India's greatest playback singers. He won two Screen Awards and was nominated for six Filmfare Awards.

KK started his career by singing for advertisements. He sang his first movie song in 1996 for the film Maachis. In 1999, he released his first album called Pal. The songs "Pal" and "Yaaron" from this album became very popular. They are often played at school graduation parties. This album helped make him a big star. The song "Tadap Tadap Ke" from the 1999 movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam earned him his first big award nomination.

KK became one of the top singers in the 2000s. He sang many hit songs in different languages. Some of his most popular songs include "Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe" from Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and "Aankhon Mein Teri" from Om Shanti Om (2007). He also sang "Khuda Jane" from Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and "Tu Jo Mila" from Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). KK was often called "The Mesmerizer" because he sang so many romantic songs.

Early Life and Music Start

Krishnakumar Kunnath was born in Delhi, India, on 23 August 1968. His parents were from Malayali. He grew up in New Delhi. Before he became famous in Bollywood, he sang about 3,500 jingles for advertisements.

KK went to Mount St Mary's School and Kirori Mal College in Delhi. He also sang in a song called "Josh of India." This song was released to support the Indian national team during the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

After college, KK worked for six months in marketing. But he really loved music, so he decided to follow his dream. It was hard at first to become a singer. He sang at hotels to earn money. In 1994, KK moved to Mumbai to try and make it big in music.

Music Career

In 1994, KK recorded a demo tape and shared it with music producers. He was soon asked to sing a jingle for an advertisement. Over four years, KK sang more than 3,500 jingles in 11 different languages! He saw Lesle Lewis as his guide because Lewis gave him his first jingle to sing in Mumbai. After this, KK became a playback singer. He started with songs like "Kalluri Saaley" and "Hello Dr." by A. R. Rahman.

Singing in Hindi Movies

KK's big break in Bollywood was the song "Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se" in the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). Before this, he had sung parts of "Chhod Aaye Hum" in Maachis (1996). KK always said that "Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se" changed his career. He also sang other popular Hindi songs like "Dola Re Dola" in Devdas (2002) and "Khuda Jane" in Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008).

KK was nominated for six Filmfare Awards. In 2009, he won the Screen Awards for Best Playback Singer – Male for "Khuda Jaane." In 2022, KK worked on a song called "Dhoop Paani Bahne De" for the movie Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga. This was the first song released after he passed away.

Singing in Tamil Movies

KK sang many popular songs in other languages, including Tamil. His Tamil songs were very important to Tamil film music in the 2000s. They became a big part of Tamil culture. In 2004, his Tamil song "Appadi Podu" became popular all over India. People played it at clubs and weddings. He worked with A. R. Rahman on "Strawberry Kanne" in 1997, which was also a hit.

He had many hit songs in the 2000s. For example, he sang "Uyirin Uyire" and "Kalyanam Dhaan Kattitkittu" in 2003. "Uyirin Uyire" was popular in cities, and "Kalyanam Dhaan Kattitkittu" was loved across Tamil Nadu. Even though his family was from Malayali, KK sang only one Malayalam song in his 25-year career. It was "Rahasyamay" in the movie Puthiya Mukham (2009).

Solo Albums

KK at a concert in 2009

In 1999, Sony Music started in India and wanted to find a new artist. They chose KK, and he released his first solo album, Pal. The music was by Lesle Lewis. Pal was a pop rock album. The songs "Aap Ki Dua," "Yaaron," and the title song "Pal" were very popular. "Pal" and "Yaaron" are still often played at school farewells. KK won an award for Best Singer – Male (non-film music) for this album in 1999.

He released his next album, Humsafar, on 22 January 2008. This album included songs like "Aasman Ke" and "Cineraria," which was an English song. KK himself wrote eight of the songs on this album.

Television Appearances

KK sang many songs for TV shows, such as Just Mohabbat, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, and Hip Hip Hurray. He was also a judge on the talent show Fame Gurukul.

He sang "Tanha Chala" for a Pakistani TV show called The Ghost in 2008. KK also appeared on the MTV India music show Coke Studio. He sang "Chadta Suraj" with the Sabri Brothers. He also performed on MTV Unplugged in 2014. KK loved performing live and did concerts in places like Goa, Dubai, Chennai, and Hong Kong.

In 2015, KK was a guest judge on the TV singing show Indian Idol Junior. He said in a 2019 interview that he loved live performances. He wanted to keep singing for his audience and hoped to release a new album.

Personal Life

KK married Jyothy Krishna in 1991. They had two children. His son, Nakul Krishna Kunnath, sang a song called "Masti" with him on his album Humsafar. KK also had a daughter named Taamara Krishna Kunnath.

His Singing Style

KK never had any formal music training. Film director Mahesh Bhatt said that KK's voice could show all kinds of feelings. He could sound playful, romantic, or sad.

KK believed that it was more important for a singer to be heard than to be seen. He said he felt comfortable with a microphone but not in front of a camera. KK liked to keep his private life private. He also preferred to sing for many different actors, not just one. People widely saw him as a very flexible singer.

Who Inspired KK?

KK often said that the legendary singer Kishore Kumar was his biggest inspiration. KK explained that he never took music lessons because he could learn songs just by listening. He found out that Kishore Kumar also never had formal training, which made KK feel even better about his own path.

Impact and Recognition

Many other artists have praised KK's work. Singer Arijit Singh called KK his favorite singer and a mentor. In 2023, Singh sang KK's song "Dil Ibadat" as a tribute during one of his concerts. Abhijeet Bhattacharya called KK a "path-breaking singer" and said he was the last true playback singer.

Shaan praised KK's hard work. He said they had great times recording and performing together. Sunidhi Chauhan also called him her favorite. She said she loved performing with him. Many other famous singers like A. R. Rahman, Sonu Nigam, and Shreya Ghosal have also praised KK's amazing musical talent.

Many actors also loved KK's voice. Pankaj Tripathi said he was a huge fan. Emraan Hashmi, for whom KK sang many songs, said, "A voice and talent like no other… They don't make them like him anymore."

Illness and Death

On 31 May 2022, KK performed a concert at a college festival in Kolkata. After the concert, he went back to his hotel. On the way, he said he felt unwell. At the hotel, he had a cardiac arrest, which is a sudden heart problem. He collapsed, and people tried to help him, but it was too late. KK was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. He was 53 years old.

The police started an investigation into his death. An autopsy was done, and the report said that a myocardial infarction (heart attack) was the likely cause of death. This ruled out any foul play. Doctors said that KK might have lived if he had received help right away. He had told his wife about pain in his shoulder and arm for several days before he died. He thought it was just a stomach problem. The autopsy report showed that KK's heart had a very serious blockage.

Funeral

The government of West Bengal honored KK with a gun salute in Kolkata. The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, was there. Many people from the film and music industries, and politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shared their sadness. KK's body was taken to Mumbai. His funeral was held at the Versova Hindu Cemetery on 2 June. His family, friends, and colleagues attended.

Discography

Filmography

Television Shows

Awards and Honours

KK was asked if he was bothered by being nominated for many awards but not winning often. He said no. He believed that winning or losing an award did not make him feel less of a singer. He just wanted to do his best work and was happy to sing good songs.

Tributes to KK

KK's statue installed in 2023, at the place where he gave his last performance

When KK passed away, Deccan Herald called him the "voice of love." The Times of India said he was Bollywood's most flexible singer. An article in The Hindu mentioned that he was very popular at concerts until the end. He will be remembered as the singer who sang from the heart.

In 2023, a statue of KK was put up in Kolkata. It is at the same place where he performed his last concert. Many singers like Arijit Singh, Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Sonu Nigam have honored KK by singing his songs during their own concerts.

Images for kids

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  KK performing at the Jockey Club Auditorium in Hong Kong, 2012

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  KK at a concert in 2009

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  KK's statue installed in 2023, at the place where he gave his last performance