Under the dazzling glow of stage lights and the thunderous applause of a global audience Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon at the age of 71, made India proud with her first Grammy award for the album ‘Triveni’ in the Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album category. The Grammy Awards were organised by the Recording Academy, and was held at the Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles on late Sunday.
Tandon, an Indian-American vocalist and entrepreneur was earlier also nominated for her album ‘Soul Call’ in 2009. Her now won work ‘Triveni’ is a collaborative work with South African flautist Wouter Kellerman and Japanese cellist Eru Matsumoto.
As the music industry’s most prestigious honour, the Grammys have long been a platform where legends are born, history is made, and emotions run high. While receiving the award alongside her collaborators, Chandrika Tandon said, “”Music is love, music is light, and music is laughter and let’s all be surrounded by love, light, and laughter. Thank you for the music, and thank you to everyone who makes music.”
Triveni, her album, reflects the essence of its name that symbolises the confluence of India’s sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. It brings together three globally acclaimed artists: Indian singer-composer Sonu Tandon, Grammy-winning flautist Wouter Kellerman, and Japanese guitarist Matsumoto.
The album weaves ancient Vedic chants with melodic flute and resonant cello, creating a reflective soundscape that fosters mindfulness, self-discovery, and connection. This harmonious blend of Indian classical music, New Age ambiance, and global traditions appeals to a wide audience while staying deeply rooted in cultural authenticity. Released on August 30, 2024, each of the seven tracks on ‘Triveni’ tells its own story while contributing to its overarching theme of healing resonance. The songs are: “Pathway to Light”, “Chant in A”, “Journey Within”, “Aether’s Serenade”, “Ancient Moon”, “Open Sky”, and “Seeking Shakti”.
Tandon also took her Instagram to express gratitude for her first Grammy. She wrote, “Honoured to receive a GRAMMY for our collaborative album Triveni. A moment that reminds me that music is love, music ignites the light within all of us, and, even in our darkest days, music spreads joy and laughter. Congratulations to all the other nominees in our category. Thank you for the music, and thank you for each and everyone that creates and supports the music; may all our lives be enveloped in Love Light Laughter.”
The Prime Minister also congratulated her on ‘X’. Modi wrote, “Congratulations to @chandrikatandon on winning the Grammy for the album Triveni. We take great pride in her accomplishments as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and of course, music! It is commendable how she has remained passionate about Indian culture and has been working to popularise it. She is an inspiration for several people.”
Some other winners were Album of the Year - COWBOY CARTER, Beyoncé, Song of the Year - “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar, Best Rap Album - Alligator Bites Never Heal, Doechii.
The year 2025 marked the 67th edition of the biggest musical awards night of the world and was echoed with applause.