Photos: BBC/ Andy Paradise
Venue: Royal Albert Hall (London, UK) | Date: 12th August 2025

Marking her fifth Royal Albert Hall Proms appearance, Anoushka Shankar walked out greeting the audience with much familiarity, as if we were all together in a cosy living room (albeit a packed out one!). Reminiscing of her times performing here, she looks back to performing with her father, Ravi Shankar’s Proms back in 2025 and the shows here leading to this moment. In the revered hall, the diverse audience of both background and age stood to attention, eagerly awaiting for the music to begin.

The sitarist introduces the concert by taking us through the conceptual journey of each of her ‘Chapters’, masterfully translated into 3 albums: ‘Forever, For Now’, ‘How Dark Is It Before Dawn’ and ‘We Return To Light’. Shankar explains how each project marked a different stage in her life, that follows from a place of pain to that of strength and light. Each also are different collaborations with different composers and producers involved, coming together to be performed simultaneously for the first time live on the Royal Albert Hall stage. Accompanying Shankar is London Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ames. 


Chapter 1 ‘Forever, For Now’: Reflecting a darker period in Shankar’s life, over a deep minor key orchestra you can hear the plucks of the sitar calling through with such yearning. Towards the end of this section, the beat starts to build and a sense of hope starts to emerge. I’ll admit as the drums start to lightly roll in, I looked around to see if there are any other classic South Asian instruments such as the tabla – quite amazingly to find there wasn’t. The orchestra's ability to still encapsulate these traditional textures, left me with something I hadn’t heard before.

Chapter 2 ‘How Dark Is It Before Dawn’: A representation of what many would typically associate with darkness and fear, is a place that Shankar explains she finds both that of safety and solitude - the night. The mood starts to lighten and the sitar pace build and crescendo. What starts as reflective melodies, quickly turns into an upbeat and alive persistence. The sitar a clear extension of Shankar. Meanwhile, the orchestra increasingly starts to build layers, with hints of pop and rock - at times it may have felt like the sitar was being overpowered, however, it rung through with a chaotic harmony.


Chapter 3 ‘We Return To Light’: We enter the final part of the show, there is a feel of more freedom, fluidity and a sense of elation. Shankar's precise speed, truly showing showing off. Anoushka Shankar, Robert Ames and the London Contemporary Orchestra all more than deservingly received a long standing ovation. It was clear to see the relationship between Shankar and Ames was one of trust, where they playfully bounced off each other through the performance.


Over the 90 minutes the crowd were taken on a journey, from what starts as a more minimalistic feel to multiple layers of instrumentation intertwining with the sitar as we move through the 3 part composition. Elements of cinema, rock, funk and more alongside the changes in emotional dynamics are brilliantly captured. Mirroring Shankar's life, starting at her roots and young understanding to weaving all her experiences and complexities as she continues to grow and treads her path. Truly a biopic of sort, but in song form, just as she describes she set out to capture when creating the albums.

As we walked out of the hall to leave my Mum mentioned to me that she was a bit apprehensive at the start, she wasn't sure how the traditional South Asian sound and contemporary orchestration could work together. It didn't take long for her brain to settle and be in awe of what had just taken place. A true masterclass in blending traditional with contemporary artistry. Mirroring something that here at Asian Tones we truly believe in: The ability to be proud of one's heritage alongside the ability to celebrate and recognise the many other influences that form a person. 

The performance is available on BBC Sounds to listen back to. Check out the BBC Proms website for more information and other events running up till 14th September.