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KK (Singer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth23 August 1968

Age53 Years

BirthplaceDelhi, India

ProfessionPlayback Singer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseJyothy

FamilySon - Nakul Krishna Kunnath; Daughter - Tamara Kunnath

KK (Singer) Biography

Krishna Kumar Kunnath, known professionally as KK or Kay Kay, was an Indian playback singer celebrated for soulful film songs and popular non-film work. He

Early life and background

Krishna Kumar Kunnath was born on 23 August 1968 in Delhi, India. He grew up in a musical household: his grandmother taught music and his mother performed, and those early influences encouraged him to sing from a young age. He attended Mount St. Mary's School in New Delhi and went on to study commerce at Kirori Mal College, Delhi. Despite his lifelong involvement with music, he did not pursue lengthy formal vocal training and once quit a childhood music class after a few days.

During his school years KK took part in music competitions and sang with rock bands. His first stage performance came in Class 9 when he sang an ABBA number. He also met Jyothy Lakshmi during his teenage years and the two later married.

Career

KK built a broad and varied career as a singer across film and non-film projects and in multiple Indian languages. Early in his working life he recorded jingles and brief commercial pieces in Delhi, a path that led him to move to Mumbai to pursue music full time. In the 1990s he worked extensively as a jingle singer and recorded thousands of jingles in more than ten Indian languages, including memorable campaigns such as a Frooti jingle and Pepsi’s “Yeh Dil Mange More.” He counted Lesle Lewis among his mentors from this period.

His first credited film recordings date to the mid-1990s, and he sang in dubbed versions of South Indian films as well as in Hindi cinema. KK’s first full non-film album, Pal, was released in 1999 and became widely popular among young listeners for its reflective, romantic songs; tracks from the album were commonly played at school and college farewells. Around the same time he also rose to wider public attention with A.R. Rahman’s composition “Tadap Tadap” from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

Following the success of Pal and early film recordings, KK dedicated much of his career to playback singing. He recorded hit songs in Hindi films across the 2000s and 2010s, and his work spanned many Indian languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, and Gujarati. Notable film songs include tracks featured in films such as Woh Lamhe…, Gangster, Om Shanti Om, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Jannat, Aashiqui 2 and Taare Zameen Par. He also contributed title and theme songs to television shows and appeared as a judge on the reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005.

KK’s recorded output included both film and independent projects. He released a second album, Humsafar, in 2008 which mixed Bengali folk, rock and an English rock number; one song from that album featured his son. He collaborated on ensemble songs such as “Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe” from Dil Chahta Hai and participated in cross‑border and international projects, including a contribution to a world music album called Rise Up (Colors of Peace) in 2013.

Awards and recognition

Over his career KK received multiple industry accolades. He won recognition in non-film music for Pal, a National Film Award for a film song in 2003, and several best‑playback and best‑singer awards from Indian award bodies across different years. He was also honoured with awards in regional categories and international film awards recognizing his contributions to playback singing.

Public profile

KK was known for a warm, emotive singing style and for the versatility to move between film songs, independent albums and commercial jingles. He recorded reportedly more than 3,500 jingles and sang in many languages, which helped make him a familiar voice across India. Personal details that formed part of his public profile included his marriage to Jyothy Lakshmi Krishna in 1991 and his two children, a son and a daughter, both of whom have been involved in music.

Latest updates

KK died on 31 May 2022 at age 53. Reports indicate he fell ill following a live performance in Kolkata and was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. His last recorded film song listed in available material is ‘Yeh Hausle’ from the film 83 (2021). After his death his remains were flown to Mumbai and his last rites were performed.

Legacy

Across a three‑decade career KK left a substantial catalog of film songs, independent album tracks and commercial jingles. His early non‑film hits, charting film numbers and extensive work across Indian languages made him a widely recognized voice in contemporary Indian popular music.
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Recent Work

Yeh Hausle

Last recorded film song listed from the film 83 (2021).

2021
Humsafar

Second non-film album released in 2008, featuring a mix of Bengali folk, rock and an English rock number.

2008
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Career Highlights

  1. Debut non-film album Pal (1999) became a cultural touchstone for 1990s youth.
  2. Recorded over 3,500 jingles in multiple Indian languages.
  3. Sang notable film songs across Hindi and regional cinema, including work with A.R. Rahman.
  4. Winner of a National Film Award and multiple industry playback singing awards.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was KK (Singer) born?

23 August 1968

What is KK (Singer) known for?

Playback Singer

What is KK (Singer)’s marital status?

Married

Who is KK (Singer) married to?

Jyothy