Two Indian Americans nominated for the Grammys

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Indian American Falguni Shah’s album, “Falu’s Bazaar” has been nominated for a Grammy in the ‘Best Children’s Album’ category.

According to an earlier News India Times report, Shah released “Falu’s Bazaar” on Feb. 16 this year and it consists of a collection of songs that teach children about Indian culture.

Becoming a mother is what inspired Shah to create the album, which teaches children how to introduce themselves in Hindi, among many other things like obeying traffic signals, learning about animals, counting, differentiating between spices and more.

In the album, Shah explores how arts and roots can be both cherished and preserved if introduced to children early on as she believes that by teaching young children about different cultures, they will grow up to respect the diverse world as a place for all to live peacefully.

The lyrics are written in the Hindi, English and Gujarati languages and are penned down in a play-based writing style.

According to her website, Shah is trained in the Jaipur musical tradition and the Benares style of Thumrie; she moved to the U.S. in 2000 and was appointed as a visiting lecturer at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

She was then appointed as Carnegie Hall’s ambassador of Indian Music in 2006, and has collaborated with artists like A.R. Rahman, Yo-Yo Ma, Wyclef Jean, Philip Glass, Ricky Martin and Blues Traveler, among others.

Shah has also performed for former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House.

On the other hand, Indian American of Sikh origin Snatam Kaur, has also been nominated for a Grammy in the ‘Best New Age Album’ category for her album “Beloved.”

Her album consists of a blending of classical Indian elements with Western folk and contemporary singer-songwriter styles, according to a press release.

The 61st Annual Grammy Awards are to be held on Feb. 10.