A virtuosic performer and composer with an innovative spirit, Anoushka Shankar followed
in the footsteps of her late father, Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar,
mastering the same instrument and blazing her own artistic path that
encompasses both Indian classical traditions and progressive world
music. Establishing herself as a formidable talent in her teenage years,
she recorded a series of classically oriented albums for Angel Records
in the early 2000s before branching out into more experimental territory
with her Grammy-nominated 2005 release, Rise. Following this album,
Shankar's output tended to focus on her own compositions and
collaborations with a variety of artists ranging in genre from pop and
jazz to electronic and flamenco. Signing with Deutsche Grammophon in the
2010s, she continued to explore progressive musical concepts with
2011's standout, Traveller, while also paying homage to her classical
roots with 2013's Traces of You, on which she and her half sister -- pop
and jazz singer Norah Jones -- honored their recently deceased father.
As a performer, Shankar has played many of the world's greatest stages,
from Carnegie Hall to the Royal Festival Hall and Sydney Opera House. In
addition to her activism in support of both human and animal rights,
she has also authored a biographical book about her father and written
as a columnist for the Hindustan Times and the New Delhi magazine First
City.
Anoushka Shankar was born in England and spent much of her youth living between London and Delhi, later relocating to California, where she attended high school. From the age of nine, she began studying music under her father, making her performing debut on the sitar four years later at his 75th birthday celebration in Delhi. Accompanying her father as he toured the world, Anoushka racked up a wealth of experiences, appearing at Carnegie Hall while still in her teens, performing at Peter Gabriel's WOMAD festival, and recording with George Harrison. She was the youngest and only female recipient of the House of Commons Shield, awarded by British Parliament "in recognition of her artistry and musicianship -- as a preeminent musician of the Asian Arts."
Having earned a contract with EMI's Angel Records label, Shankar made her solo debut with 1998's Anoushka, released when she was still just 17 years old. Anourag followed two years later, featuring six ragas adapted by her father. The young prodigy added another triumph to her already impressive career in 2001 with her Live at Carnegie Hall album, becoming the youngest artist and first woman to be nominated for Best World Music Album at the Grammys. Departing from the traditional Indian classical style that marked her earlier albums, 2005's Rise included elements of pop, jazz, and various ethnic fusions. The self-produced album featured all original material and received another Grammy nomination. Shankar's trend toward fusion continued with 2007's Breathing Under Water, a collaborative album with British producer and musician Karsh Kale that also featured appearances from both her father and half sister, Sting, and Indian slide guitar legend V.M. Bhatt.
Traveller, which explored the similarities and differences between classical Indian music and Spanish flamenco, appeared in 2011 and marked her debut for the Deutsche Grammophon label. Ravi Shankar: Symphony, the only symphony Ravi Shankar composed, was recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra directed by David Murphy and released in 2012, featuring Anoushka as the featured solo sitarist. In the fall of 2013, just a few months after her father's death, she released the deeply personal Traces of You, a collection of original material that earned yet another Grammy nomination and was her first release to top Billboard's World Music chart. A home-recorded collection of more straightforward Indian ragas called Home appeared in 2015. In 2016, Shankar delivered Land of Gold, a passionate response to viewing refugees fleeing war, oppression, and hunger around the world. Produced by her then-husband, director Joe Wright, Land of Gold featured contributions from electronic producer Matt Robertson, singer/rapper M.I.A., cellist Caroline Dale, actor/activist Vanessa Redgrave, and others.
Anoushka Shankar-(1991)-Live At Carnegie Hall
Anoushka Shankar-(1998)-Anoushka
Anoushka Shankar-(2000)-Anourag
Anoushka Shankar-(2001)-Live In Carnegie Hall
Anoushka Shankar-(2005)-Rise
Anoushka Shankar-(2005)-Rise Remixes
Anoushka Shankar-(2007)-Breathing Under Water (with Karsh Kale)
Anoushka Shankar-(2011)-Traveller
Anoushka Shankar-(2013)-Traces of You
Anoushka Shankar-(2015)-Home
Anoushka Shankar-(2016)-Land Of Gold
Anoushka Shankar-(2016)-Land Of Gold (Remixes)
Anoushka Shankar-(2019)-Reflections
Anoushka Shankar-(2020)-Love Letters (EP)
Anoushka Shankar-(2021)-Love Letters P.S. (Deluxe)
