Ricky Kej’s phone rang a few minutes after he landed at the Bengaluru airport. He was returning home from Los Angeles after winning his first Grammy in 2015. The number was unknown, but he answered the call.
“Hello, my name is Lata. I am a singer. I just called to congratulate you,” said a young female voice.
“Thanks,” replied Ricky, “But may I know how you got my number?” He had just landed and wasn’t very pleased with a random person calling him.
“Oh, sorry. My assistant gave me your number.” Then another voice spoke, “Hi Ricky, this is Mahesh. We’ve met before. I am Lata Mangeshkar’s assistant.”
Ricky, for a few seconds, was taken aback. He couldn’t believe his ears. “Wow. I am really sorry. Next time, please tell me your full name. You are not just a singer,” he told Lata Mangeshkar, “I thought it was some 16-year-old girl.”
“Sab yeh hi bolti hain (Everyone tells me the same),” she laughed.
The conversation went on for another 45 minutes. It’s one of Ricky’s most cherished phone calls.
“There are a few memories like this at the Bangalore airport,” he says over the phone from Bengaluru, “It’s seen so much of my life – goodbyes and hellos, departures and arrivals. It connects me to the rest of the world. It’s like my second home.”
These emotions are reflected in the music video for the BLR Airport Anthem (composed by Ricky), released last week.
The anthem, featuring the voice of Grammy-winning singer Lonnie Park, captures the essence of travel and connection. The video includes three poignant stories that resonate with every traveller. A daughter bids an emotional farewell to her father, highlighting the bittersweet moments of departure. We see the joy and anticipation of reunions through the eyes of a little girl and her mother eagerly awaiting her father’s arrival. Finally, a blind woman navigates the airport easily, experiencing its blind-friendly features emphasising inclusivity and accessibility.
The anthem’s lyrics, “Nothing is too far; No matter where you are. You’ll never be alone; This is the gateway to your home,” match the visuals. They attempt to remind travellers that Bangalore Airport is more than just a transit point.
The anthem was not commissioned to Ricky; it was born out of a personal connection. “While waiting for my flights, I take out my laptop, put on my headphones, and start composing. So, a lot of my music was created in this airport. It’s my gateway to the world, the bridge that takes me on adventures and brings me back home. So, I thought, why not write a song about it?”
The BLR Airport anthem was initially a 45-second musical snippet. He hesitantly showed it to his friend, Hari Marar, the airport’s CEO, expecting feedback for later development. But the latter loved it and wanted him to create an anthem to be played at the launch of the T2 Terminal in 2022. “If you aren’t making it, I am going to play this 45-second clip with my phone on a mic during the launch,” he playfully threatened Ricky.
This unexpected push and his passion for the project fueled Ricky’s completion of the song. A year and a half later, the anthem was ready.
The song is a catchy pop-rock anthem. He didn’t fret too much about it reflecting the city’s culture. “Bangalore’s a city with a mixed bag of influences. So, you can’t have one thing that can encapsulate it. That being said, my own identity is deeply intertwined with Bangalore. I’ve been here since I was six. Everything I do, everything I create, has Bangalore woven into it. So naturally, that seeps into the song,” says Ricky, “The song is an extension of myself, a tribute to this city that’s been my home for so long.”