Sitar master Anoushka Shankar, who was trained on the instrument from an early age by her father Ravi Shankar, has created a protest album of sorts with her latest release, Land of Gold. Deeply concerned about the plight of the world’s refugees, Shankar felt she needed to make an artistic and political stand against the shameful injustice of poor people fleeing violence and finding no home. She says, “the seeds of Land of Gold originated in the context of the humanitarian plight of refugees, it coincided with the time when I had recently given birth to my second child. I was deeply troubled by the intense contrast between my ability to provide for my baby, and others who desperately wanted to provide the same security for their children but were unable to do so.”
“Everyone is, in some way or another, searching for their own ‘Land of Gold’: a journey to a place of security, connectedness and tranquillity, which they can call home,” says Shankar. Today we have the pleasure of sharing video for the lead single “Land of Gold” with you, a beautiful, heartfelt, sensitive song with utterly gorgeous sitar lines.
Shakar adds, “I’m so beyond excited to finally share this video with you all. The song ‘Land of Gold’ means a lot to me, and was written in response to the humanitarian trauma of refugees, especially children. I’m happy we were able to feature the song’s amazing collaborators Manu Delago and Alev Lenz in the video.”
Anoushka Shankar’s new album, Land of Gold, releases tomorrow, April 1st via Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music Classics and features collaborations with M.I.A. cellist Caroline Dale, actress and activist Vanessa Redgrave, singer/songwriter Alev Lenz, and more.