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By Mabel Pais
“SHAYAN is a love letter to the ancient ragas of India — not as performance, but as medicine. It is music that invites the world to pause, reflect, and rest.” – Charu Suri
CHARU SURI, Indian-born pianist and composer, received a GRAMMY® nomination for SHAYAN in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category of the 68th Grammy® Awards. The nominations were announced on November 7, 2025. The Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Los Angeles at the Crypto (crypto-com/us) Arena.
The piano prodigy is known for weaving Indian ragas into her music. Suri made a historic fifth appearance at Carnegie Hall on July 25, 2024, becoming the first Indian jazz artist to do so. Charu has been making waves in the jazz scene, having performed over the past year in Italy, London, Blues Alley in D.C., Boston Jazz Festival and beyond. In 2024, she was awarded a Jazz Roads Grant to enable her to bring her unique sound to many venues across the United States.
“This new album by Charu Suri is without doubt something wonderfully special, from the genesis of genius to the world as a panacea of peace.” – One World Music
One of the few female jazz composers and pianists to emerge from India, Charu has blazed a new sonic identity and has performed in world-renowned venues from the GRAMMY® Museum, Lincoln Center, Birdland, NCPA Mumbai, and the Royal Opera House in Mumbai.
Her work has been performed by Yo Yo Ma, The New Jersey Symphony, Steve Gadd, John Patitucci, and Joe Lastie from Preservation Hall, among others. Her latest album, SHAYAN, topped the U.S. and World charts and her previous “raga jazz” album, RAGS & RAGAS, topped international jazz charts and reached #3 in the U.S. and #1 in India on iTunes.
She has won several awards including ‘Gold Entertainer of the Year’ from the International Singer Songwriters Association (ISSA), Intercontinental Music Awards, Global Music Awards and is a Governor of the Recording Academy, New York Chapter.
This is her first GRAMMY® nomination; she is also nominated as producer in the Global Music Album, Sounds of Kumbha by Siddhant Bhatia and is a pianist on the Children’s album, Herstory, by Flor Bromley.
Recently, she was elected Governor of the Recording Academy New York Chapter.
Links to stream Charu’s albums
SHAYAN: https://charusurimusic.bandcamp.com/album/shayan
RAGS & RAGAS: https://songwhip.com/charu-suri/rags-and-ragas
RAGAS & WALTZES: https://charusuri.bandcamp.com/album/ragas-waltzes
THE BOOK OF RAGAS VOL. 2: https://charusuri.bandcamp.com/album/book-of-ragas-vol-2
NEW AMERICAN SONGBOOK EP: https://charusuri.bandcamp.com/album/new-american-songbook
Learn more at charu@charusuri.com.
SHAYAN: THE ALBUM
A Sonic Journey to Restore the Body’s Natural Rhythm
World Premier: August 22, 2025
GENRE: World/ Contemporary Instrumental
LABEL: Independent (Amala Records)
REPRESENTED BY: Quriosity
Acclaimed composer and pianist Charu Suri, often hailed as the Queen of Raga Jazz, presents her 5th album ‘SHAYAN’ – HARNESSES THE HEALING EFFECTS OF ANCIENT INDIAN RAGAS to help people sleep better, and gently return the body to its natural circadian rhythm. Inspired by the healing energy, this album is a meditative blend of traditional Indian melodies and serene global instrumentation. SHAYAN is a musical experience meant not for the stage, but for the soul — to be felt in bedrooms, healing centers, nursing homes, and anywhere rest is needed.
SHAYAN Track List
- Shayan – [4:33] – Shayan uses raga Kalyani, the Eastern equivalent of the Lydian scale.
- Mohanam Hymn [7:28] – Mohanam is a pentatonic Carnatic raga whose Hindustani equivalent is Bhupali.
- Inner Peace [6:38] – Based on Raga Desh, an evening raga that is often associated with the monsoon season.
- Raga Jog [8:44] – Raga Jog is a Hindustani classical raga, typically sung at the late night or early morning hours.
- Nightingale [4:16] – Based on raga Bagesri, typically performed from 9 p.m. to midnight.
- Raga Durga [4:49] – Raga Durga is a sweet Hindustani pentatonic scale sharing commonalities with Carnatic Shuddha Saveri.
- Shayan Reprise [4:33] – A reprise of the title track, Shayan, based on Kalyani.
FEATURED ARTISTS ON SHAYAN
Jim Kimo West – Grammy® Winner, Guitar / Raniero Palm & the Venezuela String Recording Ensemble – Grammy® Winner, Strings / Ron Korb – Grammy® Winner, Flute / Max ZT – Grammy® Nominee, Dulcimer / Tess Remy-Schumacher – Cello / Premik Russell Tubbs – Flute / Anita Lerche – Vocals / Ravichandra Kulur – Flute / Siyer – Vocals / Haruna Fukazawa – Flute / Philip Vaiman – Violin / Mary Dawood Catlin – Vocals / Peter Sterling – Harp / Ramya Shankar – Ukulele
Key Credits
Producers: Charu Suri, Siddhant Bhatia, Tess Remy-Schumacher, Devan Ekambaram
Mixing Engineer: Siddhant Bhatia – Mastering Engineer: Lonnie Park
Recording Engineers: Chris Sulit, Christina Giacona, Patrick Conlon, Todd Catlin, Corey Miller
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