Ricky Kej, the three-time Grammy Award-winning musician, made a grand entrance at the 2025 Grammy Awards on February 2, capturing attention with his stunning ensemble that celebrated India’s cultural heritage.
The 41-year-old artist, who received nomination for his fourth Grammy for ‘Break of Dawn’, walked the red carpet alongside Marla Maples, the American TV personality famous for her past marriage to former US President Donald Trump.
For the prestigious event, Ricky Kej chose a brown bandhgala adorned with intricate bead embroidery, paired with a black dhoti that featured delicate golden lace details.
The outfit was the design of Bharat Jain and his team at 108 Bespoke. They draw inspiration from Kej’s Grammy-nominated album. To complete his look, he draped a traditional Kambli shawl over his shoulder.
Woven by the skilled Kuruba weavers of Karnataka, the shawl was given a modern twist, reimagined with recycled yarns and natural fibers by textile designer Pavithra Muddaya of Vimor.
Kej also wore earrings inspired by his Rajasthani roots, further paying homage to his Indian heritage.
Though Kej’s album ‘Break of Dawn’ got nomination for Best New Age Album, he did not take home the award this year.
Also Read: Chandrika Tandon, Chennai-born artist, wins Grammy for ‘Triveni’ album
Instead, the Grammy went to Indian-American musician and business leader Chandrika Tandon for her album ‘Triveni’. This marked Tandon’s second Grammy nomination, following her debut nod in 2010 for ‘Om Namo Narayana: Soul Call’.
Other nominees in the category included Anoushka Shankar with ‘Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn’ and Radhika Vekaria for ‘Warriors of Light’.
Kej, whose career has had three Grammy wins, first achieved recognition in 2015 for ‘Winds of Samsara’. It earned him the Best New Age Album Grammy. His later work with Stewart Copeland, ‘Divine Tides’, earned them additional Grammy honors in 2022 and 2023.