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Norah Jones sits down with her half-sister, virtuoso sitar player Anoushka Shankar, for a stripped-down musical session and conversation spanning their unique family history and distinct approaches to music. The sisters discuss meeting for the first time when Norah was 18 and Anoushka was 16, growing up as only children, and later collaborating in the studio on albums like Breathing Under Water. They explore Anoushka's intense childhood training under their famous father, Ravi Shankar, and compare it with Norah's jazz-college background. Throughout the episode, the two perform stripped-down versions of songs including The Sun Won't Set, Those Sweet Words, Traces of You, and Unsaid, interweaving live performances with candid discussions on ragas, time signatures, and the discipline of touring.
The episode opens with iHeart and Granger ads, followed by the host’s introduction and a brief overview of the show.
Norah Jones welcomes Anoushka Shankar and introduces the special family episode.
The pair discuss their joint songwriting process, the inspiration behind songs like “Those Sweet Words” and “Traces of You.”
Anoushka recounts learning the sitar from her father, Ravi Shankar, and her early lessons with his student Gaurav Mazumbar.
They reflect on personal growth, the challenges of formal music education, and the importance of authenticity.
The episode concludes with final thoughts, a recap of highlights, and a thank‑you to listeners.
She describes her debut at her father’s 75th birthday concert and subsequent tours across India and the U.S.
Anoushka explains her shift from classical to independent projects, her first album in high school, and her later self‑produced work.
Norah and Anoushka perform “Traces of You,” exploring its raga structure and emotional context.
The hosts discuss the practicalities of traveling with musical instruments and managing schedules.
An introduction to the concept of ragas, their structure, and emotional character.
Recounting shared experiences with their father and the evolution of their musical relationship.
Meeting at Sixteen and Eighteenstory
Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar recall meeting each other for the first time as teenagers when Anoushka was 16 and Norah was 18. They describe the heavy emotions, Anoushka walking in with long hair and blue eyeshadow, and the intentional effort required to build their relationship as half-sisters.
Tuning the Sitar Liveinsight
Anoushka Shankar discusses the intense tuning process required when playing the sitar in short three-to-four-minute song formats compared to traditional lengthy Indian classical ragas.
Terrifying Debut Performancestory
Anoushka Shankar recounts the sheer panic and physical sensation of hearing her own heartbeat before her debut performance at age thirteen in front of thousands of people.
Anoushka Shankar shares the surreal experience of seeing her face plastered on a Blockbuster store window on her way to high school when her debut classical album was released in the 1990s.
Explaining the Ragainsight
Anoushka Shankar breaks down what a raga is, explaining that it functions as a melody form with specific ascending and descending patterns, moods, and character associations rather than a mere scale.
Hindustani Versus Carnatic Traditionsinsight
Anoushka Shankar explains the difference between North Indian Hindustani music, which strictly assigns ragas to specific times of day and seasons, and South Indian Carnatic music, which does not.
Anoushka Shankar reveals that the lyrics for the song Unsaid were written on a plane exactly 29 days after their father passed away, making the recording process deeply raw.
“She's been touring internationally with her Chapters Tour, including a major India tour earlier this year tied to 30 years of live performance.”
“from our dad, who was a very famous and brilliant sitar player.”
“Oh, yeah, that was really fun.”
“I also love that she requested to do a song from your, one of your early albums.”
“How do you feel about unresolving?”
“So if I'm traveling for something, it'll be like, what do I carry in my hand luggage for if my luggage doesn't.”
“That isn't a scale or a mode or a set of phrases or a song. It's not any of those things.”
“So you will hear ragas in film music all the time, but maybe they're used in a kind of lighter, more accessible way.”
“I start slow and I, you know, and then I'll, and then I'll get a little faster.”
“So we're gonna end with the emotional tearjerker.”
Today we speak with the brilliant, world-renowned sitar player, Anoushka Shankar, who happens to be Norah’s sister!
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