Mumbai: Celebrated pianist Chad Lawson once famously topped the Billboard Top Classical Albums chart with his ambient reinventions of Frédéric Chopin’s works. In his latest album, Awakening: The Stillness Within’, he has however layered his Western classical proficiency with Indian cadences, sacred mantras and healing frequencies. Lawson’s multi-faceted gifts as a musician, mental health podcaster and breath work coach come alive in every note of this spiritually resonant album which is presented by Vedam Records in collaboration with USA’s Decca Records.
For Lawson, a prior UN Ambassador for the World Federation for Mental Health, recently appointed UN Representative for the World Health Organization, Americas (2025 – 2027), this album is an opportunity to offer something unique to the global wellness music space. As he says, “For me, the confluenc
e of Eastern traditions and Western intonations in this album represents a very organic and seamless musical and cultural synthesis. It is this intrinsic harmony at the heart of the album that has turned it into a meditative and restorative sonic experience, evoking mindfulness, deep reflection, and a transcendent feeling of wellbeing.”
Lawson who has collaborated in the past with artists like violinist Judy Kang and cellist Rubin Kodheli, once again synergises in this album with acclaimed artists including flautist Rasika Shekar, sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee, harpist Nush Lewis, and sound healer Paayal Lal. What emerges is a compelling aural mosaic constituting nine tracks replete with stirring piano notes, Indian instrumentation, chants and soothing binaural frequencies that heal, soothe, uplift and encourage deep listening. ‘Still Waters’, the first single from the album that was released sometime back has already created a sensation in the wellness music arena.
