Norah Jones is an American singer, songwriter, musician and actress. Known for her sultry, melodic voice, she has created a unique musical style incorporating the best elements of jazz, country and pop.
Recognized as the brightest voice in new jazz singing, Jones is the daughter of legendary Indian musician Ravi Shankar.
Since 2001, her total sales have reached over 50 million discs worldwide and she has received many prestigious awards for her outstanding work.
Family and education of Norah Jones
Jitali Nora Jones Shankar was born on March 30, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents never married, they divorced in 1986 when she was only 6 years old. Nora's mother, Sue Jones, was a concert producer.
Father - composer, legendary sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar (owner of three Grammy awards).
For years, the Indian musician has been estranged from his daughter and her mother. He did not communicate with Nora for about 10 years, although they later reconciled and began to communicate.
“At first it was a little awkward,” he admitted. "It `s naturally. There was a lot of anger from her mother. It took us a while to get close. I had the guilt of all those years that I missed and was not able to spend time with my daughter.
According to Ravi, her talent began to show at an early age. She joined a church choir at age 5 before winning a series of awards and compositions at the Booker T. Washington School of Performing Arts in Dallas.
The budding singer then studied piano at the University of North Texas, though she never graduated.
“Theory and study are all very good. For someone who loves jazz, this is not quite the right way. Real jazz is the smoky clubs of Manhattan, not the southern campus, says Norah Jones.
So after two years of college, Nora dropped out and moved to New York, where she formed a band with composer Jesse Harris and bassist Lee Alexander. Collaboration with Jesse was successful.
Another important element of the "quiet" star's success was her own balance and strength of character. “The best words about her are that she is not a product of a professional studio, she is a nugget and a real one,” said pianist Vijay Iyer.
Indeed, despite her beauty and incredible talent, Nora has a reputation for being a quiet neighbor with a modest appearance.
Career and musical achievements of Norah Jones
Norah Jones moved to New York and signed a recording contract with Blue Note Records in 2001.
The following year, she released her debut solo album come away with me, which was a combination of styles - jazz, country and pop music.
The album has sold over 26 million copies worldwide and won five Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist.
"It's amazing, I can't believe it, it's incredible," she said after the presentation. Her words echoed those of record company bosses when they first heard her play two years earlier.
Although Nora says she is amazed at her success, many argue that this smart and collected young woman, with her wonderful combination of talent and beauty, was always destined for stardom.
Her second solo album Feels Like Home (2004) also received very positive reviews. It became the best-selling album of the year, selling over 12 million copies worldwide.
Nora won another Grammy for Sunrise.
Her subsequent albums Not too late (2007), the The Fall (2009 g.) And Little broken hearts (2012) went multi-platinum and gave the world several hit singles.
Billboard Magazine named Nora the Top Jazz Artist of the Decade - 2000-2009.
Actor career
In 2007, Nora began her acting career in the film "My Blueberry Nights" directed by Wong Kar Wai. Since then, Nora has worked in many feature films, documentaries and television shows.
Unlike most music stars, Nora never considered acting in films.
Singer Awards
Norah Jones has won numerous awards in her career, including nine Grammy Awards, five Billboard Music Awards and four World Music Awards.
Personal life of the artist
The singer never liked to flaunt her personal life. Only in 2000, Norah Jones did not hide her relationship with musician Lee Alexander from the public. The couple lived together for seven years, after which they broke up in 2007.
In 2014, Jones gave birth to a son, and in 2016 her second child was born. Nora prefers not to advertise the name of the father of her children. He argues this by respecting the desire of his chosen one to remain unknown to the general public.
Despite her fast-paced career, the Brooklyn girl remains down to earth.
“I like to be on the sidelines, because when people become successful, when they are too praised, they try to stay on the crest of fame. This is not for me"
Norah Jones speaking
