How the Dalai Lama Received His First Grammy Nomination

The Dalai Lama has earned his first Grammy nomination at the 2026 awards, competing in the category of Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The nomination places the Tibetan spiritual leader alongside nominees including Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Trevor Noah, and actress Kathy Garver. The project combines spoken excerpts from the Dalai Lama’s teachings with original music influenced primarily by Indian classical traditions, alongside contributions from contemporary artists.

Meditations draws from archival recordings made over the course of the Dalai Lama’s 75-year public life. His remarks address themes such as compassion, mindfulness, environmental responsibility, and coexistence. These recordings are arranged thematically and set to newly composed music.

On the track “Water,” the Dalai Lama reflects on environmental change through memories of his birthplace in eastern Tibet, noting a visible decline in snowfall over his lifetime. On “Peace,” he frames compassion not as a religious concept, but as a practical necessity for human survival.

The album was produced by Kabir Sehgal, a Grammy-winning producer based in Atlanta. Sehgal says the goal was to present the Dalai Lama’s teachings in a musical format that could reach a wider audience while remaining grounded in classical traditions. The album features performances by Rufus Wainwright, Maggie Rogers, Andra Day, and others.

According to Sehgal, collaborators were chosen based on both musical fit and personal interest in spirituality or philosophy. Rogers, who holds a graduate degree from Harvard Divinity School, was contacted directly and agreed to participate early in the project.

The instrumental foundation of the album comes from sarod players Ayaan Ali Bangash and Amaan Ali Bangash, who come from a long-established family of Indian classical musicians. Their family has performed for the Dalai Lama for more than two decades. Bangash says the Dalai Lama’s office was involved throughout the process and approved the project at each stage.

Sehgal also has a personal history with the Dalai Lama, whose relationship with Emory University brought him frequently to Atlanta. Sehgal says he met the Dalai Lama several times as a child through his family. The producers have not yet shared the completed album with the Dalai Lama in person. At 90 years old, his travel schedule is limited, and Sehgal says it is unlikely he will attend the Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles on Feb. 1.

Meditations was released in August 2025, shortly after the Dalai Lama confirmed that there would be a successor following his death. The issue of succession remains politically sensitive, particularly given China’s stated interest in influencing the process. The Dalai Lama has said the decision will be made solely by a trust of monks under his office.

The Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his efforts to promote nonviolent dialogue regarding Tibet, which has been under Chinese control since 1951. The Central Tibetan Administration estimates there are approximately 140,000 Tibetan refugees worldwide.

Sehgal says the album has been well-received within the Tibetan community. He added that the Dalai Lama’s office viewed the nomination as an opportunity to extend the reach of his teachings to younger and international audiences.

On the track “Harmony,” the Dalai Lama addresses nationalism and displacement, stating that rigid distinctions between nations are outdated and that humanity must coexist on a shared planet.

According to Sehgal, the nomination itself has already fulfilled part of the project’s purpose by drawing attention to the Dalai Lama’s lifelong work. “The response from his office was that more people would hear his message,” he said.