Afghan-American pianist and composer Omar Akram, born in New York City in 1964, grew up the son of a United Nations diplomat and studied piano informally in Prague before immersing himself in Cuban music. In 2013 he became the first Afghan-American to win a Grammy Award, taking Best New Age Album for Echoes of Love; his 2023 album Moments of Beauty earned a further nomination.

Mood and energy: Lyrical, warm, cinematic. Recommended uses: reflection, meditation, sleep.

Sacred Ground Confidence Score: 5 out of 5 stars   Final recommendation: Approved.

Why this artist belongs in Sacred Sounds: A Grammy-winning pianist whose melodic, emotionally direct piano writing represents some of the most widely recognized and critically validated work in the contemporary New Age piano tradition.