Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones Make Magical First-Ever Duo Performance at North Sea Jazz Festival

In a moment that fans have been waiting for over a decade, musical half-sisters Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones finally shared a stage — and hearts across the globe are still resonating with the sound. The duo performed the hauntingly beautiful track “Traces of You” live for the first time at the North Sea Jazz Festival this weekend, creating a historic moment for both Indian classical and contemporary jazz-pop audiences. The song, recorded back in 2013 for Shankar’s Grammy-nominated album of the same name, had never been performed by the two artists together — until now.

Anoushka Shankar, the internationally acclaimed sitarist and composer, took to social media soon after the performance, calling the moment “unforgettable” and “lifetimes in the making.”

An Emotional First for the Sisters Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones

In an Instagram post featuring a heartfelt video clip from the performance, Anoushka wrote: “Well THAT was special! With no exaggeration, something truly unforgettable happened at @northseajazz this weekend. My beautiful sister @norahjones joined me onstage for an impromptu song — our first time EVER performing together!”

The sisters’ rendition of “Traces of You” was met with roaring applause and emotional reactions from the audience. Their performance, blending sitar and soul, jazz and tradition, felt like a deeply personal yet universal moment — one that transcended genres and generations.

Anoushka Shankar further added, “Sitting beside her on stage, bringing this music to life as a duo lifetimes in the making, was truly a moment 🧡”

A Collaboration 10 Years in the Waiting

While sisters Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones have built powerful solo careers — Norah Jones as a Grammy-winning jazz-pop icon and Anoushka Shankar as a torchbearer of Indian classical music and daughter of sitar maestro Ravi Shankar — fans have long hoped the sisters would unite for a live show.

Their 2013 collaboration on “Traces of You” was poignant and critically acclaimed, but schedules, genres, and life kept them from performing it together — until this historic stage shared at one of Europe’s most prestigious music festivals.

Following the magical North Sea Jazz Festival moment, Anoushka Shankar is now gearing up for her much-anticipated India Tour, scheduled to begin in August 2025. The tour promises a fusion of classical tradition and modern innovation, something that Shankar has mastered across global stages.

This performance marks not only a milestone in the artistic relationship between Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones, but also a celebration of musical unity across cultures. For fans around the world, it was a long-awaited duet — and an emotional reminder of music’s power to connect across time, space, and bloodlines.