Mohamed Assani is a sitarist and composer, known for his genre-defying approach to music making. Trained in Indian/Pakistani classical music, Western classical music and jazz, his music-making seamlessly draws from different genres and cultures with depth and authenticity. Mohamed was twice nominated (in 2021 and 2022) as ‘Instrumental Artist of the Year’ for the Western Canadian Music Awards. Mohamed has brought his sitar to new audiences across the globe through innovative collaborations that have stretched the boundaries of his instrument. Career highlights include co-writing a sitar concerto that was performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, performing for his Royal Highness the Aga Khan, being invited to teach at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Music, and performing for celebrity couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. In 2023, Mohamed’s music video "Lullaby for Guli" was nominated as a finalist at the Berlin FilmHaus Festival and was an official selection at the International South Asian Film Festival 2023 and Sunar Film Prize Festival in 2025. “This music is nothing short of bewitching. It surprises, delights and leaves the listener lifted, overwhelmed yet strangely calm. Not only can I understand how people are bewitched by this music, I might be myself.” — Jazz Views “The way Mohamed Assani has manipulated, caressed and amalgamated so many different styles under the watchful rule of his sitar playing is nothing short of mesmeric. A unique and surprising record that will take you places you’ve never been before.” — Vinyl Chapters “This collection of exquisitely crafted songs created by Mohamed Assani unfolds like a journey through an ocean of experiences, laid out for us with the grace of an artist. But don’t be fooled, these songs aren’t what you might expect from a sitar wielding musician. They are bold and extravagant, a twist of cultures and peppered with drama…kind of like a James Bond theme, but on a sitar. It’s a gorgeous album.” - NohoArtsDistrict.Com