Norah Jones made waves when she released her groundbreaking debut album, Come Away With Me. The record became an instant classic and garnered five Grammy awards worldwide.
Life’s ups and downs don’t phase her – something which comes through clearly on her delightful new album Visions.
Birth
Norah Jones was born Geetali Norah Shankar to sitarist Ravi Shankar and Sue Jones in Grapevine, Texas, near Dallas. Her mother introduced her to music through her extensive LP collection and oldies radio; Norah began singing church choirs at five and began piano lessons two years later.
She moved to Manhattan for a summer sublet in 1999 and quickly fell under its musical charms. She performed regularly with Wax Poetic band before recording demo songs for Blue Note Records that year; ultimately resulting in a recording contract with them.
Norah Jones made waves when her first album, Come Away with Me, was released in 2002 and quickly became a global phenomenon. Since then she has released six more albums and collaborated with artists like Foo Fighters, Ryan Adams & the Cardinals and Outkast, winning nine Grammy awards while selling over 52 million records worldwide. Additionally she hosts her podcast Norah Jones Is Playing Along which offers candid conversations and musical collaborations between herself and fellow musicians.
Education
Grammy-awarding singer-songwriter Norah Jones released her first album Come Away With Me in 2002 and enjoyed immediate success with its mix of jazz, country and pop music. Subsequent albums released included Not Too Late (2007), The Fall (2009 g) and Little Broken Hearts (2012) which all went multi-platinum while producing multiple hit singles.
She performed at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute concert to Bob Dylan, as well as working on an original track with Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane called “Two Sleepy People”.
Geetali Norah Shankar was born in Brooklyn but moved with her concert promoter mother Sue to Dallas at four. Growing up listening to Sue’s extensive LP collection and oldies radio shows was instrumental in shaping her upbringing; piano lessons began at age five while public performances such as singing at open mic nights were first staged when she was sixteen at a coffeehouse nearby. Following high school Norah attended University of North Texas but decided after two years to pursue her career full time in New York City.
Music
Jones began her musical journey at age five under her father Ravi Shankar’s tutelage as a pianist before transitioning into vocals later. She performed with various local bands before making her first public appearance at an open mic night at a coffeehouse where she made her initial public debut. Later she attended Booker T Washington High School of Performing Arts in Dallas before attending University of North Texas with its highly esteemed music programs where she received both the Best Student Music Award (1996) and 1997 respectively.
Veteran producer Arif Mardin kicked off Norah’s career with her debut album Come Away With Me (2002), an acoustic pop-jazz-country fusion release which highlighted her signature soft vocals and eye-catching face. Following its commercial success came Feels Like Home (2004); after which, more experimental releases diversified Norah’s sound whilst keeping its jazz core.
Norah’s Visions marks an intriguing departure for her musical output. Much of it feels loose and free-form, as though producer Leon Michels and Norah were just jamming away in the studio. From soulful Muscle Shoals-clatter of Paradise to country roller Staring At The Wall, Norah’s emotive lyrics and laid-back melodies steal the show here.
Personal life
Jones is well known for her soothing performances with soothing tones and an understated demeanor. Often using acoustic instrumentation to allow her voice to stand out on its own. Her 2002 album Come Away With Me became an instant classic both critically and commercially.
Jones continued her release and collaborations over the subsequent decade. She recorded with Little Willies for their eponymous debut and cover album; recorded two tracks by legendary country musicians Hank Williams and Willie Nelson for My Blueberry Nights film; as well as appearing in Seth MacFarlane’s Ted movie (2012).
Jones broadened her musical palette with moody electric instrumentation on The Fall (2009), an album which explored the dissolution of relationships. Additionally, Visions (produced with Leon Michels from Dap-Kings), her ninth studio album released under her own name blended funk, soul and garage elements with acoustic instruments – as well as working closely with half-sister Anoushka Shankar on both Traces of You (2013) and Begin Again (2019) albums as well as touring Australia and US before canceling shows due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.