2012 JUNO winner Kiran Ahluwalia shares “common ground” with Canada’s best musicians

Kiran Ahluwalia has once again earned acclaim with a 2012 JUNO for the World Music Album of the Year, an award sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts. The album, Aam Zameen: Common Ground draws on the influence of Saharan desert blues and was produced in collaboration with fellow musicians in Mali. Kiran is no stranger to the JUNOs – this was her fourth nomination, including the JUNO-winning Beyond Boundaries (2003). Among the Juno winners, twelve artists besides Kiran have received support from the Canada Council during their careers.

Kiran has made an art of interweaving ghazals and Punjabi folk songs with sounds and styles from other cultures – Portuguese fado guitarra, sub-Saharan percussion, Celtic fiddle, Pakistani qawwali vocals, the rhubab of Afghanistan and most recently African blues. Born in India, raised in Canada and currently based in New York City, her unique music and enchanting voice captivate ever-growing audiences in Canada and on the world stage.  

The Canada Council is proud to have supported Kiran at key milestones in her career, including grants to compose music, record and produce albums, tour and make connections at events like WOMEX (a major world music exposition). Kiran was not alone at the 2012 JUNOs … the roster of nominees was full of talented artists who’ve benefited from Canada Council funding and who are now bringing their music to audiences across Canada and abroad.