Shaan feels KK didn’t work much with big stars: ‘His singing didn’t have a filminess’

Shaan on KK

In the interview, he was questioned about the evergreen quality in his and KK’s voices, Shaan said, “KK even more. I was quite comfortable doing ‘filmy’ singing, keeping the hero’s persona in mind and adding some flamboyance to my performance. KK always kept a strong filter of honesty in his singing style. Maybe the flamboyance was not as much. Of course, he sang for Emraan Hashmi, and he did a couple of songs for Shah Rukh Khan, but not to that level. And that’s because his singing didn’t have a ‘filminess’. And I would tell him, ‘KK, bring some more heroism into your voice’, and he would say, ‘Brother, I’m fine the way I am’.”

In the same interview, Shaan shared that he believes that the honesty worked in KK’s favour. He added, “The next generation of composers wanted KK to sing for them more than they wanted us,” he said. Asked why, Shaan said, “Because they could relate to that singing; they didn’t think it was too flamboyant, too over-the-top. There was a rawness to his voice, some honesty, some authenticity… They wanted that straightforward singing.”

Shaan-KK professional connect

Shaan and KK recorded over 25 songs together. They gave out hits such as Dus Bahaane (Dus; 2005), Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe (Dil Chahta Hai; 2001) and It’s The Time To Disco (Kal Ho Naa Ho; 2003), others like Jo Dar Gaya Woh Mar Gaya (Ghaath; 2000) and Dekho Nashe Mein (Race; 2008).

KK, whose full name was Krishnakumar Kunnath, passed away in 2022 after going into cardiac arrest at a concert in Kolkata. He was 53.