iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Several Indian-American artists have received nominations for the 67th Grammy Awards. The prestigious event will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on February 2, 2025.
The nominees of Indian-American and Indian heritage are Ricky Kej, Anoushka Shankar, Chandrika Tandon,Varijashree Venugopal, Radhika Vekaria, and Noshir Mody.
Kej, a 4-time-Grammy nominated musician, said his album ‘Break of Dawn’ reflects his belief of music serving as a transformative force for health.
Reacting to his nomination, he said, “I’m absolutely honored to have ‘Break of Dawn’ recognized by the Recording Academy of America with a nomination this year. This album is deeply personal, reflecting my belief in music as a transformative force for the health and well-being of the planet and our people, all of us. I hope it inspires all of us to experience music not just as entertainment, but as a source of comfort and healing.”
Kej said he has always believed that the ancient Indian culture teaches us that the impurities of the environment are in direct relation to the impurities of the mind.
“So, in order to solve any issue we face as a species, we first have to purify our minds. ‘Break of Dawn’ was created by me with this belief in mind, as a catalyst to create a more kind, compassionate, and environmentally conscious society through the power of music. So, it is a new age album. It’s based on ancient Indian ragas.”
Tandon received a nomination in the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album category for the album Triveni, which was created in collaboration with flutist Wouter Kellerman and cellist Éru Matsumoto.
Apart from playing music, Tandon is also a member of the Board of Trustees at New York University and is the chair of Tandon Capital Associates, a financial advisory firm which she founded in 1992.
Renowned sitarist Anoushka Shankar picked up her Grammy nomination for her album Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn. She will go up against Tandon in the same category.
Los Angeles-based Vekaria also received a nomination in the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album category for her album Warriors of Light.
Mody, a Mumbai-born artiste, who now lives in the U.S., received his maiden Grammy nomination in the Best Global Music Performance category, for his ‘Kashira’, which was done in collaboration with Masa Takumi, Ron Korb and Dale Edward Chung.
Top image: www.grammy.com
