Proud Moment for India As Grammy® Winner Ricky Kej Performs At the ‘United Nations Headquarters, Geneva’
At the first WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health.
First Indian ever to perform Kannada song, ‘Kaamanabillu’ about Environmental Consciousness at the historic United Nations Headquarters, Geneva.
Geneva (Switzerland): Ricky Kej, Grammy® Winner and noted Environmentalist performed at the most prestigious “Palais Des Nations – The United Nations, Headquarters in Geneva” on 31st October 2018, for the ‘BreatheLife Concert for a Healthy People – Healthy Planet’ which is part of the first World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health. In attendance at this high profile concert were several world leaders, elected representatives of Member Nations of the UN, Head of UNOG, Head of WHO, UNEP, World Bank and hundreds of other top officials and bureaucrats representing various organisations and countries from all over the world.
Ricky Kej along with his ensemble of global musicians from Vietnam, South Africa, Ghana, France, USA, India performed his World Music compositions on Clean Air, Water, Land and celebration of Life of all kinds. The concert, a spectacular musical expression of the message of Healthy People – Healthy Planet was a grand success with the august audience present.
Ricky Kej also took this opportunity to make a special tribute to his home state Karnataka on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava, and performed a song in Kannada at the concert. The song “Kaamanabillu” about Environmental Consciousness sung by Karnataka’s singing and flute prodigy Varijashree, created history, by being the first time ever anybody has presented anything in Kannada language at the historic United Nations Headquarters, Geneva. Thus making Kannada resonate in those walls and made known to the world.
An elated Ricky Kej after the concert said, “Having performed across the world at prestigious venues, including thrice at the United Nations New York, and having had my album released at the COP 21, 2015, this performance in Geneva completes the UN circle It has been a wonderful and one of the most powerful experiences of my life.”
“Performing my music to these Environmental torch bearers from across the globe has been an absolute honor and a dream come true!” he added.
A Brief Note about Ricky Kej:
Grammy® Award Winner and US Billboard #1 artist is an internationally renowned Indian Music Composer, Environmentalist and Professor. Ricky has dedicated his life and his Music to the sole purpose of creating Environmental Consciousness and has performed all over the world including thrice at the United Nations General Assembly, NY.
Ricky Kej composed and produced his latest album ‘SHANTI SAMSARA’, which was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande in the presence of World Leaders at the United Nations COP21 Climate Change Conference in Paris. For Shanti Samsara, Ricky collaborated with over 500 musicians from over 40 countries, all coming together for Environmental Consciousness.
His repertoire of work consists of 15 studio albums released internationally, over 3,500 commercials and 3 feature films. He scored music for the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup 2011, held in Dhaka-Bangladesh.
In addition to winning more than a 100 music awards in over 20 countries, Ricky has been awarded the title “Youth Icon of India”, “United Nations Global Humanitarian Artist” and “Pride of Karnataka. ‘Real Leaders’, has named Ricky Kej as one of the 100 Real Leaders who ‘Inspire the Future’. The House of Commons, Parliament of Canada awarded Ricky for his “Outstanding Musical and Humanitarian Achievement”.
