Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande launched Grammy award-winner Ricky Kej’s new album at the Paris climate change conference.
“Grammy winner Ricky Kej’s new music album Shanti Samsara — world music for environmental consciousness — was launched on Monday at the United Nations COP21 in Paris by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and France’s President Francois Hollande,” Varsha Kej, wife and media manager for Kej, said.
The album features Sanskrit verses with spoken word by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Hollywood actress Frances Fisher and Bafta award winner Rosanna Arquette.
Kej said the album was conceptualised through the inspiring words of Modi during his meeting with him in September.
“A heartfelt thanks to him for helping me channelise my creativity and art towards making a difference and for giving me perspective on what the world needs — environmental consciousness,” Kej said.
“It feels like I have been a musician just so that I could see this day... to see my music hopefully make a small difference in this world,” he added.
The album was released during the International Solar Alliance (ISA) launch event and a video from the album was played for the gathering of world leaders, Varsha said.
“This album celebrates nature through different cultures around the world,” she said, adding that the album features more than 300 musicians from across the globe including seven Grammy award winners, all coming together to create environmental consciousness.
The album has country music legend Gary Nicholson, acclaimed Canadian singer Jennifer Gasoi, renowned South African flautist and Grammy winner Wouter Kellerman. The album also has Zulu verses by the Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Rumi verses and Turkish verses, Varsha said.
It has folk music from Algeria, Senegal and India, chants by the monks of the Sherab Ling Monastery and melodies by the famous ‘singing nun’ Ani Choying Drolma, she said.
It also features celebrated musicians from China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and the feted voices of India’s own Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan — all blending into the harmony for environmental consciousness, Varsha added.
