Sitarist-composer Anoushka Shankar has opted out of attending the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles despite being twice nominated, saying she chose to be on the road in India instead of getting pulled into the awards-season “whirlwind.”
On Grammy day, Shankar shared that she was nominated for Best Global Music Album for Chapter III: We Return to Light and Best Global Music Performance for “Daybreak,” calling them her 12th and 13th Grammy nominations.
“Practice what I preach”
Explaining her absence, Shankar said she made a conscious decision not to go and emphasised aligning her choices with what she believes matters most—live connection with audiences—writing that she wanted to “practice what I preach.”
She also underlined the emotional and financial pressure that can surround major awards events, adding: “I wanted to take care of my mental health,” while describing the stress and expense involved in travel, promotion, and the red-carpet machine.
“My truest artistic life”
Shankar said being in India—where Chapter III began—working and performing with her band and crew felt closer to the “reality” of her artistic life than attending the ceremony. She also wished luck to fellow nominees and mentioned she was looking forward to seeing audiences in Mumbai.
—By Manoj H