Berklee Indian Ensemble plays their way to Grammy nomination
BOSTON - It is an historic first for the Berklee College of Music. The Berklee Indian Ensemble has been nominated for a Grammy for its debut album, Shuruaat, in the category of "Best Global Music Album."
This marks the first Grammy nomination for Berklee. The institution is known for producing powerhouse alumni in the music industry, such as Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Melissa Ethridge, and Charlie Puth.
"I think it is taking time to sink in," said Giri Subramaniam, who is one of the ensemble's members. "Every day a little bit it becomes more and more real."
"I always personally thought that anything would be possible with this if we put in enough work," said ensemble member Yoel Genin. "But it is still kind of unbelievable to reach those places."
Annette Philip founded the Berklee Indian Ensemble in 2011 and has been watching it grow ever since. "My goal was always that this should be a safe space for musicians from any country to be able to explore Indian music but also bring themselves," said Philip.
Harshitha Krishnan is a lead vocalist for the group and started working with them in 2013. Krishnan said having the ability to learn about her Indian culture through music was invaluable.
"I was one of the few people in my family who didn't have the opportunity to, but I have now become a professional musician," said Krishnan.
The vocalist also pointed out her view on the importance of music like the ensemble's to be recognized on a global scale. "The Grammys sometimes feel like a popularity contest, because it is peer voting and people vote for what they know," Krishnan said. "So, the fact that little old us found our way through and people saw what we had to offer, and they loved it."
The Berklee Indian Ensemble is planning a North American tour beginning early 2023.
The Grammy Awards can be watched live on February 5th, on WBZ-TV.