2015 Grammy Weekend. The Year Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman Won!
State what you want. Dream big. Say it out loud. Ask for it. Let it go. Let it happen.. This is my story of Grammy weekend 2015, and the win of my friends Wouter Kellerman and Ricky Kej for Best New Age Album- Winds Of Samsara.
Over the past year, after reluctantly joining my SF Grammy Chapter, I began showing up to events, and meeting new, wonderful people in the music industry. Considerate people. Supportive people. It was the place I least expected to find that support. I know that sounds odd, but I expected pretension, attention deficit disorder, bloated egos, self-seeking and hustling. There is certainly some of that, but more of what I found was welcoming, interest, kindness, and a number of collaborative spirits. Ricky Kej was one of the first to welcome me online from India. Before long he was producing some of my material. Both Ricky and Wouter traveled to the US for meet and greets, while Grammy campaigning. We shared meals, music and became friends.
Ricky and Wouter released thier collaboration Winds of Samsara in October of 2014, hit number one on Billboard for several weeks, and got the Grammy Nomination for Best New Age Record. Wow! This was happening to my friends! I HAVE to go to the Grammy’s! But I was broke! BROKE!!
Grammy tickets sold out fast, but I resolved to at LEAST go to LA for the nomination party the Friday before the Grammy’s. I would give them both hugs and take a snap shot for the scrap-book, show up and support my friends. That was enough for me.
An online friend, and last years Grammy Winner Jennifer Gasoi reached out and suggested I simply ask the Grammy community if anyone had an extra ticket. In my mind I couldn’t afford it anyway, so I probably shouldn’t ask..but my gut said ASK!! So I asked!
I repeat! State what you want. Dream big. Say it out loud. Ask for it. Let it go. Let it happen!
I let it go and began the planning, scraping up of funds, I prayed, I freaked out, I kept planning. I booked a room, I trusted, I relaxed. I began a new job, gave notice on my home. A couple weeks later, Jennifer contacted me telling me she found me a ticket. It would be $400.00 and I had to act fast. I ended up being invited to share the day with Jennifer and her friend Jordan Buetow, who also contributed to the Winds of Samsara project. Life was showing off..
I got my weary ass ready on a Thursday, drove the 400 miles alone to Hollywood, slept in a cheap hotel, ate pizza and crashed by 9:00 pm, before making my way to the air B&B in downtown LA. I settled in, I glammed up, fought an hour of traffic on the 2 mile trek down skid row on 7th Street, before arriving to Jennifer and Jordan on a hectic, city street corner. Meeting for the first time in person, I felt immediately connected and comfortable, relieved, and giddy. I told them how sorry I was, that I needed to swear a lot and breathe for a bit to decompress from the traffic. Jennifer looked at me with a straight face and began spouting profanity “fuck, fuck, fuck, penis, fuck, bitch, fuck”. I loved her instantly. I was with my people.
We headed over to Ricky and Wouter’s party, arriving to a line of 600 people, where we quickly saw the loving, exited, anticipating, familiar faces of El Cerrito Studio owners Kenya and Oscar Autie. They were in matching red outfits. They have the most wonderful Cuban accents and are some of the loveliest people I know. We followed Jennifer’s lead to the front of the line and slid past the bouncers and through the side door.
Walking in to a crowded, SWANK, frenzy we were greeted by Wouter’s manager Tholsi Pillay and Ricky’s stunning and funny wife Varsha Kej, both good friends of all of ours. All faces overwhelmed, bodies dressed to the gills, lot’s of adrenaline, all of us had VERY little sleep. Wouter and Ricky in the corner, lights and cameras shining upon them for 4 hours straight. This kind of success is a marathon..let me repeat this kind of success is a MARATHON!!! Wouter took a photo with every single person in that room. All 600 of us. He never broke his smile..He was in his element.
Greetings, hugs, loud chatter, open bar, photo flashes, face recognition from Facebook, compliments, awkward exchanges, photos, photos, and more photos…Glam, glam and more glam. EVERYONE trying to get to Wouter and Ricky. I slid into the little VIP section to sit and watch. Sitting and watching is always my favorite thing to do. Jennifer, Jordan and I all drinking bottles of extra spicy ginger beer, and plotted the next leg of the night, which ended up being a slow jammed up trip to Hollywood for a surprise meeting with Scott Healey (Conan O’Brien’s keyboard player and over all cool guy) for late night french toast at Mel’s diner, where we listened to the jukebox and talked about marriage.
24 hours later I am in my little air b&b vintage trailer that was placed inside a 6000 sq ft loft, NOT sleeping due to the huge loud raging party going on above me. 2:30 in the morning, Radiohead blaring I resigned to look blacked eyed, and puffy for my big Grammy day beginning in 5 hours. Yes, Grammy day is also a marathon. I was up at 8, in full makeup by 9, seated for the pre telecast ceremony, where 79 awards are given by 12 noon.
Regardless of my lack of sleep, the flow was with us all day. The transitions were easy, the vibe was simple, fun, buoyant, light. I felt great in my outfit. Fake lashes and smokey eye makeup helped my “up all night” look. The shoes were uncomfortable, but fabulous. The dress was deep red and just stretchy enough. The company I was with was perfect. We ran into Ricky and Wouter 2 minutes before the ceremony began, and went on to sit down with Dave Gross, who had graciously saved us seats. We took photos, marveled at the lights and stage, THIS MOMENT! I took a breath and allowed myself to be, to feel, to see and take in where I was. I was at the Grammy’s, and wierd AL had just walked by me. My friends from India and S.Africa were about to take the trophy. The New Age category was the first to be announced. “And the Grammy goes to …..Winds of Samsara!!!!”
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY”!!!!!
We all leapt up, howled, rejoiced and listened to our friends express gratitude and joy. We in THAT moment watched their whole lives change. We were there to bear witness to this magical, deliriously happy occasion. I was there, REALLY there! and I felt my own life shift with them.
After the long ceremony, we opted for a quick bite before the big concert at Staples Center. I scarfed down a bowl of meatballs, before we went to find our seats. We settled in, and enjoyed the behind the scenes of the show. LL Cool J telling us to go crazy when the cameras came on, to keep our cell phones off, 5, 4, 3, 2 , and we’re live! AC/DC, pyro technics, contrived moments, the embarrassing, dis-respectful bullshit of Kanye Meow- Meow, The mediocre country performances, the many glitches and bad production mistakes, the great performances of Annie Lennox, Jeff Lynne, Beck and Chris Martin. The
sheer joy of taking off my 6 inch heals, the drama, the lights, the spectacle!
We left a few performances early to get food at the after party before anyone else, the magic of walking into one ethereal environment after another. We gorged, danced to Jessie J for a few. Ate more, rested. One by one, my friends from all over the globe collected on the side of the room, Jordan Buetow, Jennifer Gasoi, Ricky and Varsha Kej, Wouter Kellerman, Tholsi Pillay, Grant Malloy and his wife among others, in our now tattered Grammy finest, danced in a circle to the live performances of Gloria Gaynor and celebrated this INCREDIBLE community. This OUTSTANDING victory. This moment..this MONUMENTAL moment.
State what you want. Dream big. Say it out loud. Ask for it. Let it go. Let it happen..
