A year after Jon Batiste won an Oscar for the score of the animated film Soul, this creative American multi-talent made the leap to a global audience of millions with his sixth studio album, the genre-defying We Are (2021). The 39-year-old songwriter, bandleader, and composer from Louisiana won an Album of the Year Grammy Award for it and also garnered rave reviews from both fans and renowned media outlets. Batiste, who served as bandleader on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show for years, musically moves between gospel, soul, pop, blues, and rock ’n’ roll, and he once again brings these influences together on his latest album BIG MONEY (2025), which features stars like Randy Newman and Andra Day. His combination of musical craftsmanship, wide-ranging style, and cultural and activist awareness makes him an artist who plays an important role both in the world of jazz and beyond.
