After giving a string of hits, singer K. K. wants to come out with his own album now, says Mangala Ramamoorthy
A voice that can stir a million hearts is definitely God's gift. And singer Krishna Kumar Kunnath, better known as K.K., is surely one of the few to be blessed with such an amazing vocal chord. With a string of hit songs from movies such as 'Gangster,' 'Who Lamhe,' 'Aksar,' 'Dus,' 'Saathiya,' 'Jhankar Beats' and 'Dil Chahata Hain' behind him, the man in his mid-30s is satisfied with the way his career has shaped up. "I am glad people loved most of my songs. I sing all my songs with dedication and ensure that I am satisfied with it when I leave the studio. But whether it becomes a hit or not is not in my hand," explains the singer, who first came to limelight with his debut album , 'Pal . 'In spite of having set the industry on fire with his very first album, K.K. chose to move towards a career in playback singing rather than make his own music. "For me both 'Pal' and 'Tadap tadap,' from 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,' happened at the same time. There were suddenly two roads in front of me. I felt that one couldn't beat the popularity the filmy route can give. To make your own music, one has to disconnect from the surrounding, which I didn't intend to," he says. But singing for other music directors is a bigger challenge, he feels, "Since they trust me so much, it pushes me to give my best."
Own album
That definitely doesn't mean he is not going to come out with his own album. "After so many years, I feel like coming out with my own album now," points out K. K., who hasn't undergone any formal training in music. The singer is keen on learning the nuances, but he just isn't finding the right teacher. "The problem is that they cannot take me as a beginner. But for now, the music directors know what I am capable of, and ask me to sing songs that don't have a high Carnatic base," clarifies the man, who can be heard in 'Dhoom 2' now.He has crooned in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, but this Delhi-bred Keralite hasn't yet sung in his mother tongue Malayalam. "I haven't got the right opportunity. Hindi comes to me more naturally than Malayalam. I cannot even read and write in that language," says K.K. And not that he can read, write or converse in other Southern languages. But that has never been a matter of discomfort for this talented musician. "I always ensure that I know the meaning of the song I am singing. May be not word by word, but at least the gist of it," says the 400-song veteran.
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