Working with Norah was more intimate this time: Anoushka Shankar

hen someone as prodigious as Pandit Ravi Shankar is your father it is not just overwhelming but extremely difficult to create your own identity but Anoushka Shankar while maintaining her distinct style has managed to follow her fatherrsquos footsteps successfully without a stumble The Londonbased sitarplayer is now ready with her seventh album Traces of You where she collaborates with halfsister Norah Jones who is the solo vocalist on the project Sitar player Anoushka Shankar during one of her performances Pic AFPu00a0 Anoushka Shankarrsquos increasing versatility and lyricism on the sitar has grabbed eyeballs around the world and now with Traces of You where she explores a range of topics mdash from social issues to her love for her legendary father Shankar has tried to push the envelope a little more Excerpts from the interview What was the main idea behind this album It gives a tribute to the resilience that people have In our journey of life all of us go through pain love anger and breakdowns yet the idea is to continue and to flow through every situation which is commendable This music is about hope that helps you move through every situation The album touches upon several issues and emotions In fact there is a song on the December Delhi rape victim as well What prompted you to create this song It happened very naturally When that incident happened I was feeling so much anger like everyone else I was in the studio and working on this album around that time so I started playing this piece that was my way of expressing my feelings Hence I decided to dedicate this song to her and to all the victims of sexual abuse and violence in general The late Pandit Ravi Shankarrsquos family including daughter Norah Jones fourth from left wife Sukanya Shankar fifth from left and Anoushka Shankar sixth from left offer a gesture in appreciation and thanks to those in attendance for the Ravi Shankar Memorial at the Self Realization Fellowship grounds in Encinitas California on December 20 2012 You lost your father while working on this album Did that affect your stream of thought and influence the trajectory of the thoughts with which you were creatingu00a0your music Life influences my music whatever my thoughts are at that point in time and what are my inner most feelings So yes my fatherrsquos death did influence my music But in retrospect I feel grateful that I was in the process of working on this album at that time because I best express my feelings through music So it was cathartic You have collaborated with your halfsister Norah Jones on the album How was the experience this time Working with her has been rewarding in the past but this time it was more because our collaboration was much more intimate than before Firstly because this time we were collaborating on not just one but three songs and secondly because while making music we were not part of a large group We bonded more writing music at her house So the whole process was much more meaningful Sitar maestro late Pandit Ravi Shankar spending time with his daughter Anoushka Pics AFP Your style is very different from Norahrsquos approach So what was the challenge of blending both sounds Yes our styles are very different but when Irsquom collaborating with someone itrsquos not always about blending the sounds together itrsquos about coexisting in a distinct way and thatrsquos what we have done Our music is an interesting contrast between her piano and my sitar and you will see how both although together have distinct sounds Your career spans nearly two decades yet yoursquove released only seven albums Why I was very young mdash 13 years mdash when I began touring So I didnrsquot release an album till I was 17 Then I released twothree albums in a short gap But between the age of 21 and 25 I took a break because I wanted to focus internally which I feel is very important I felt I needed that time to grow and develop and not rush into things As it is I like making music when I have something to say when things inspire me and I have something valuable to express I feel the need to live and experience things and only then can I share my experiences through my music Anoushka Shankar arrives with her husband Joe Right and child Zubin at the Ravi Shankar Memorial on the Self Realization Fellowship grounds in Encinitas on December 20 2012 in California Pic AFP Your son Zubin is growing upu00a0Does he show any signs of a musical bone Music is a part of his life he comes to concerts and music is around him even at home and I think he likes it because he does a little shake laughs However he is too young and I donrsquot know whether he will grow up to become a musician or not Your father inspired a whole generation What is the one quality in him that you admired the most He is one of those men who never cease to inspire you So there are so many moments that it is difficult to pinpoint one He was an inspiring example of a man who was the greatest genius I knew yet he was so humble The humility he had was astounding He never said great things about himself and still considered himself a student Traces Of You Anoushka Shankar Universal Music India Rs 395 Album will be available in leading music stores from October 4u00a0