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Multi-genre artist Jon Batiste won a Grammy in the Album of the Year category for his record We Are, among four other awards at Sunday night’s 2022 Grammy Awards. Jon Batiste was nominated for 11 awards at the ceremony, becoming the most-nominated artist in 2022, and also the first black artist to win the award since Herbie Hancock in 2008.
Along with Jon Batiste's We Are, other albums to be nominated in the Best Album of the Year category were Tony Bennett's and Lady Gaga's Love for Sale, Justin Bieber's Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Doja Cat's Planet Her (Deluxe), Billie Eilish's Happier Than Ever, H.E.R.'s Back of My Mind, Lil Nas X's Montero, Olivia Rodrigo's Sour, Taylor Swift's Evermore, and Kanye West's Donda.
Accepting his Grammy, a shocked Batiste laughingly said:
“Every single artist nominated in this category, I actually love and have had out-of-body experiences with your music, I honor you. This is for real artists and real musicians — let’s just keep going. Be you, that’s it. I love you even if I don’t know you, good night!”
The singer, who is famous for his work as a bandleader with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, further said:
“You know, I really, I believe this to my core: There is no best musician, best artist, best dancer, best actor. The creative arts are subjective, and they reach people at a point in their lives when they need it most. A song or an album is made, and it almost has a radar to find the person when they need it the most.”
Apart from the Album of the Year award, Batiste also won Grammys in various categories including Best Music Video for Freedom, Best American Roots Performance for Cry, and Best American Roots Song for Cry, as well as Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for Soul, which he wrote alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Fans react to Jon Batiste’s win
After Batiste’s win, fans and celebrities took to Twitter to appreciate the artist’s win and praise the incredible speech he gave. Some Taylor Swift fans also expressed their disappointment as they hoped that her album Evermore would win in the Best Album category.
Jon Batiste performs Freedom at the 64th Grammy Awards
Jon Batiste performed his hit single Freedom at the 64th Grammy Awards, beginning with a brief piano interlude after which he took center stage in a shiny silver suit. He danced along with a full band and backup dancers who moved into the audience to conclude his performance. For his final chorus, Batiste climbed onto Bille Eilish’s stage.
We Are, which is Jon Batiste's eighth studio album, was released on Verve Records on March 19, 2021. On June 12, 2020, he released the single We Are. The album also features Mavis Staples, Zadie Smith, PJ Morton, and Trombone Shorty.
