How Well Do You Know Beloved Singer KK?

Krishnakumar Kunnath, better known as KK, was one of the greatest singers in the music industry. ‘Pal’ and ‘Yaaron’, two of the soulful singer's most popular songs, are still sung at school and college farewells across India and the rest of the world by Indian students

KK's soothing voice enthralled millions of people, from singing romantic ballads to energetic tunes. Despite the singer's history of avoiding the spotlight, his songs developed a distinct voice all their own. The 53-year-old musician breathed his last  on May 31, 2022, surprising his family, friends, and millions of admirers. KK had his share of hardships before he became a household name in the industry. A look at some previously undisclosed details about the artist, from his marriage to his first paycheck.

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KK's Humble Beginnings:

 

KK was raised in Delhi by his Malayali parents, C.S. Menon and Kunnath Kanakavalli, and attended Mount St. Mary's School in Delhi. In his early years, KK would listen to his mother sing Malayalam songs that his father had recorded on a tiny tape at Delhi University's Kirori Mal College.

Despite the fact that he had never had any official training, the singer found out that he loved to sing at a school concert. While still in second grade, tiny KK performed Raja Rani's Jab Andhera Hota Hai for his classmates, and they cheered the young prodigy. He knew then that he had found his calling as a singer.

 

 

Married His Childhood Sweetheart:

Very few artists in the world of glamour have been tied to anyone outside the industry, and KK is one of them. KK has only been romantically involved with one woman throughout his life, and that was his wife, Jyothy Lakshmi. KK and Jyothy first met in sixth grade and have been inseparable ever since. They had been married since 1991 and had two children: a son, Nakul Krishna Kunnath, and a daughter, Tamara Kunnath. They were very happy with their life together.

KK performed the song Pyaar Deewana Hota hai on the Aaj Tak show Sureeli Baat in 2017 and disclosed that it was the same song he used to court Jyothy. Sharing the same, KK had said in an interview: “Jab maine usko pataya tha to yahi gana gaya tha. I remember I used to sing this song at my colony's annual function every year.”

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Since their parents used to be in the same room, he remarked that he couldn't look her squarely in the eye when singing the song. She was aware of his feelings at the time, but it wasn't until much afterwards that he explained how he had expressed them to her. At the time, we were probably between 6th and 7th graders. We were still in our teens when this happened.

"When I realized what I was feeling, I told her. She did know about my feelings then. We were very young, perhaps in sixth or seventh class. We were very young. When I understood my feelings, I confessed and told her 'I need to have you as my partner in life'.”

Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Range Hain was the song KK sang to his bride on their wedding night, according to the same interview.

“The sad part is, I sing songs at home all day and she tells me 'please yaar don't bother me now'. It happens very often. And I tell her 'don't you know how many people wait for me to sing outside? Girls even try holding me when I go for the shows.' I lie to her. That does not happen too often. She's like 'Please do not bug me'. Though, there are times when she loves it...she is sitting and I sing for her.”

KK confessed on The Kapil Sharma Show that he has only ever dated one woman, his wife Jyothy, and said:  “I have dated only one girl in my life and that is my wife Jyothy. I was a shy guy and couldn’t even date her properly. Sometimes my kids tease me about this.”

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Quitting Sales Job To Pursue Music:

KK had to have a job before he could marry his girlfriend, Jyothy, so he accepted a position as a salesman at the company. KK, on the other hand, had decided to leave his sales position immediately after his marriage to Jyothy because he was unhappy. With the help of his father and his wife, KK made his first foray into the music business. With Shibani Kashyap and Saibal Basu, he bought a keyboard and began making jingles. KK was dissatisfied despite the fact that they made money. In the wake of this, he had departed Delhi for Mumbai, the city of dreams.

His First Paycheck:

When KK's debut jingle with Loy Mendonsa was broadcast in 1994, people started paying attention to the voice behind it, and he was paid his first payment. When music director Ranjit Barot questioned KK about his fees for his first jingle, the singer was dubious because he was unfamiliar with the pay system in the industry, where he was a complete newcomer.. KK had expected he would be paid Rs. 500 when Ranjit flashed his five fingers, but to his absolute amazement, the paycheck contained an amount of Rs. 5000.

KK's Rise To Fame & Stardom:

KK's first Bollywood song was Chod Aaye Hum from the film Maachis (1996), and he earned his start as a playback vocalist with AR Rahman's hits Kalluri Saaley and Hello Doctor. Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se from the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), on the other hand, was the smash hit single that launched KK to fame. He had become an overnight sensation, and he had no intention of slowing down since then.

Aap Ki Dua, Yaaron, and the title tune of Pal still hold a special place in the hearts of young people, bringing back fond memories. KK had put his heart and soul into every song, whether it was a dance hit like Banda Ye Bindas or a deeply emotional song like Sach Keh Raha Hai Deewana or Khuda Jaane.

On top of his work in films, KK had also recorded songs for a slew of popular television shows, including Just Mohabbat and Shaka Laka Boom Boom.

KK-The Underdog:

Despite the popularity of KK's songs, the singer has only received one award in his nearly two-decade-long career: for the song Khuda Jaane from the film Bachna Ae Haseeno. It wasn't an issue for KK because the singer had already indicated that he had no ambition to win an award.

Inspite of his success, KK maintained an extremely low profile and was rarely seen outside of his concerts. After a gig, a lot of people came up to KK and inquired if he was the genuine voice behind any of the songs he sang. KK has already discussed this on air. KK expressed his thoughts on the subject, saying that while he enjoyed being the underdog, he was saddened by the fact that fans don't pay attention to the singers behind their favorite songs unless they appear in public.

KK's Unfortunate Demise:

Sir Gurudas Mahavidyalaya festival at Nazrul Mancha, Kolkata, was held on May 31, 2022, and KK performed there. It was after the show that he began to feel uncomfortable, and he had a heart attack on the way back to the hotel. The 53-year-old musician was pronounced dead at CMRI hospital after being taken there.

His final Instagram post included images from his show at Nazrul Mancha, which he titled “Pulsating gig tonight at Nazrul Mancha. Vivekananda College!! Love you all.”

When he appeared on stage, KK commented, “There is a certain energy an artiste gets when he or she is on stage. No matter what one's condition is, once I am on stage, I forget everything and simply perform.”

Hum rahen ya na rahen kal, kal yaad aayenge ye pal - the music and the intensity of K.K. on stage were unparalleled. Despite the singer's untimely death, these lines will live on in the hearts of his admirers forever.