- Anoushka Shankar will not attend the 2026 Grammy Awards
- She chose to be in India to perform with her band
- She cited mental health and financial strain as reasons for skipping the award ceremony
As the 2026 Grammy Awards are set to unfold at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Anoushka Shankar is celebrating the milestone in a very different way.
Instead of red carpets and award-season whirlwinds, the sitarist and composer is on the road in India, performing with her band and reconnecting with the roots of her music.
Anoushka Shankar Will Not Attend The Grammys
Anoushka Shankar took to her Instagram handle and wrote, "It's Grammy day today! I'm proud to be twice nominated - for my album Chapter III: We Return to Light and for 'Daybreak,' the lead song from the album. These are my 12th and 13th nominations, which in itself is HUGE!"
Yet, despite the scale of the achievement, she was clear about why she chose not to be present at the ceremony. "At the same time, it feels really good NOT to be in LA getting sucked into the whirlwind of interlocking excitement and stress that comes with major awards events."
Shankar revealed that staying away was not accidental but a conscious choice. "This year, I made a conscious decision not to go, and to be on the road in India during the ceremony." For her, it was about aligning her actions with her long-held beliefs. "I wanted to practice what I preach, which is that awards don't matter like the actual connection playing music for people affords us as artists."
Choosing Mental Health Over Anything
Shankar was candid about the emotional and financial strain that major award events can bring. "I wanted to take care of my mental health too- and I have to say, sometimes the process of spending literally thousands of dollars on the privilege of flying, attending, marketing and getting sucked in to the machine, hugely anxious about outfits and red carpets, starting to hope to win and then not winning (again and again!) can take a toll," she wrote.
She also shed light on the competitive realities behind global music categories, adding, "There is always a bigger mainstream artist dropping into our global categories who has MORE money to spend on marketing; there is always an artist who chooses to spend months networking, attending nominee events and ensuring their music and name lands in front of voters."
Importantly, Shankar made it clear that her reflections were not rooted in resentment. "I don't say this from bitterness, but just to acknowledge what the behind-the-scenes reality can be," she wrote.
While she acknowledged that a win would still bring joy, she placed it firmly in perspective. "If tonight, I happen to win for the first time, of course it will be a joyful experience, but I truly, truly believe it doesn't matter in a deeper context."
Returning To Where The Music Truly Lives
For Shankar, being in India during the Grammys holds far greater meaning than attending the ceremony itself. "Being here in India, where Chapter III really began, working and laughing and playing with my incredible band and crew, is the stuff of reality, of my TRUEST artistic life."
She ended her message by extending warmth to fellow nominees and fans alike, adding, "Wishing luck and love to everyone nominated tonight- especially those whose music I genuinely love and respect!- and to our audience in Mumbai - we can't wait to see you!"
Several Indian artists are nominated at the 2026 Grammys. They include Alam Khan, Sarathy Korwar, Siddhant Bhatia for Sounds of Kumbha, Shakti, and Charu Suri for Shayan.