Grammy Awards 2026: Anoushka Shankar misses out on Best Global Music Performance award

Anoushka Shankar misses out on Grammy Awards 2026

• Anoushka Shankar received her 12th and 13th Grammy nominations in 2026
• She skipped the LA ceremony, choosing to tour India and focus on her music
• Bad Bunny won Best Global Music Performance over Anoushka's track "Daybreak"

Did our AI summary help?

The 2026 Grammy Awards kicked off bright and early on Monday morning in Los Angeles with the Premiere Ceremony, a quieter but no less important start to music’s biggest night.

Held at the Peacock Theatre, the three-hour event saw 86 awards handed out before the main televised show even began, giving recognition to artists from every corner of the globe. Darren Criss, musician and actor, opened the ceremony, setting a warm and celebratory tone for the day.

Among those in the running was Indian sitar virtuoso and composer Anoushka Shankar, nominated for Best Global Music Performance for her track “Daybreak,” featuring Alam Khan and Sarathy Korwar, from her album Chapter III: We Return to Light.

Competing against global heavyweights, including Bad Bunny, Angélique Kidjo, and Shakti, Anoushka ultimately lost out to Bad Bunny for his song “EoO.”

Ahead of the event, Anoushka Shankar shared an honest note on Instagram explaining why she chose to skip the ceremony this year. “It’s Grammy day today! I’m proud to be twice nominated – for my album Chapter III: We Return to Light and for ‘Daybreak,’ the lead song from the album. These are my 12th and 13th nominations, which in itself is HUGE! At the same time, it feels really good NOT to be in LA getting sucked into the whirlwind of interlocking excitement and stress that comes with major awards events,” she wrote.

She went on to explain that her decision wasn’t about avoiding recognition, but about staying true to herself and her music. “This year, I made a conscious decision not to go, and to be on the road in India during the ceremony. I wanted to practice what I preach, which is that awards don’t matter like the actual connection playing music for people affords us as artists. I wanted to take care of my mental health too.”

Anoushka also candidly addressed the pressure artists face behind the glitz. “Sometimes the process of spending literally thousands of dollars on the privilege of flying, attending, marketing and getting sucked into the machine, hugely anxious about outfits and red carpets, starting to hope to win and then not winning (again and again!) can take a toll. There is always a bigger mainstream artist dropping into our global categories who has MORE money to spend on marketing… I don’t say this from bitterness, but just to acknowledge what the behind-the-scenes reality can be.”

Also See: Grammy Awards 2026: Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish lead the night’s biggest wins

Ending her post on a heartfelt note, she added, “Being here in India, where Chapter III really began, working and laughing and playing with my incredible band and crew, is the stuff of reality, of my TRUEST artistic life. Wishing luck and love to everyone nominated tonight – especially those whose music I genuinely love and respect! – and to our audience in Mumbai – we can’t wait to see you!”

With “Daybreak” marking her 13th Grammy nomination, Anoushka Shankar remains a beloved figure in global music.