Sitarist Anoushka Shankar, Brazilian bossa nova legend Sergio Mendes and Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo were nominated Friday for the world music Grammy as the category was dominated by veteran artists.
Also nominated for Best World Music Album was Toumani Diabate, who has toured the world playing the Malian lute known as the kora, for his album of duets with his son Sidiki.
And the final contender was "Our World in Song," a collection of 12 folk tunes from around the world chosen by Wu Man, who plays the Chinese stringed instrument the pipa, Hawaiian songwriter Daniel Ho and Luis Conte, the Cuban percussionist who has backed up stars including Madonna.
All five albums featured at least one artist who had previously had a grammy nomination.
The Grammy's world music category has long been dominated by a small group of artists. Anoushka Shankar's late father Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro who introduced the instrument to Western hippies, won twice.
