Indian musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Zakir Hussain’s collaborative ensemble, known as ‘Shakti’, emerged triumphant at the Grammy Awards, clinching the esteemed title of ‘Best Global Music Album’ for their latest musical endeavor titled ‘This Moment’.
The Grammy’s official X account, previously recognized as Twitter, shared a snapshot capturing Mahadevan and another band member, Ganesh Rajagopalan, accepting the prestigious accolade on stage. They aptly captioned the moment with, “Congrats Best Global Music Album winner – ‘This Moment’ Shakti. #GRAMMYs.”
Expressing gratitude during his acceptance speech, Mahadevan extended heartfelt thanks to his colleagues, the divine, his loved ones, and his homeland, India. His words resounded with pride for India, earning resounding cheers from the audience. He concluded with a touching dedication of the award to his wife, emphasizing her pivotal role in his musical journey.
The album ‘This Moment’, unveiled on June 30 in the preceding year, showcases a collection of eight tracks masterfully crafted by John McLaughlin on guitar synth, Zakir Hussain on tabla, Shankar Mahadevan as the vocalist, V Selvaganesh on percussion, and Ganesh Rajagopalan as the violinist. Their nomination for the Grammy stood alongside other noteworthy artists like Susana Baca, Bokante, Burna Boy, and Davido.
Meanwhile, Zakir Hussain also secured another significant win, clinching the Grammy for ‘Best Global Music Performance’ for his remarkable contribution to ‘Pashto’ alongside Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer, featuring the virtuoso flute player Rakesh Chaurasia. Hussain’s remarkable achievement amounted to three Grammys in a single night, while Chaurasia himself bagged two awards.
The 66th annual Grammy Awards for the year 2024 are currently underway in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, marking yet another momentous occasion in the realm of global music recognition.
