Jon Batiste Biography
Jonathan Michael Batiste is an American musician, singer and songwriter known for working and performing with accomplished American musicians like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Rey, Roy Hargrove and Mavis Staples. He has also done shows and performed in around 40 countries since he began his music career. Jon even worked as a musical director and bandleader of a famous talk show called Late Show with Stephen Colbert from 2015 to 2022.
Jon Batiste’s Early Life
Batiste was born to catholic faithful parents who lived in Metairie, Louisiana but he was raised in Kenner, Louisiana. He grew up playing percussion and drums at the age of eight with his family band called the Batiste Brothers Band. Jon was able to play other instruments like the piano and perfected his drum skills at the age of 11 years old.
Batiste then advanced his piano skills by training with songs from video games like Street Fighter Alpha and Sonic the Hedgehog. Jon finished his high school education at St. Augustine High School and the popular New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with Trombone Shory in New Orleans. In 2008, Batiste earned his Bachelor of Arts in music from the Julliard School. He got his Master’s degree from Julliard in 2011.
Jon Batiste Career
Jon began his career in music at the age of seventeen by releasing his debut album titled Times in New Orleans. His album was good but initially, it wasn’t available on all streaming platforms. This is because Jon did not pay attention to it because of his studies. Batiste then launched his second album titled Live in New York: At the Rubin Museum of Art after his college graduation. His album was received well and he was able to perform in South Africa, London, Lisbon and other states across the United States.
In 2007, Natisted made his big debut as a performing artist by producing and performing his show a the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. He also performed regularly in New York with his Julliard School classmates. Since then, Batiste has composed Soul hits like the one he did with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for a 2020 film called Soul. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and a Golden Globe nomination. Jon has also won various Grammy awards and has performed his best hits on the Grammys as well.
Jon Batiste Age
How old is Jon Batiste? Batiste is 37 years old as of 2022. He was born Jonathan Michael Batiste on November 11, 1986, in Metairie, Louisiana, United States. In addition, Jon celebrates his birthday on November 11th every year. Jon’s zodiac birth sign is Scorpio.
Jon Batiste Height | Weight
How tall is Jon Batiste? Batiste stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m). Moreover, he also weighs about 72 kilograms (140 lbs). Additionally, Jon’s hair colour is black and he has gorgeous black eyes. His body type is slim and ectomorphic but his other body measurements are still under review.
Jon Batiste Family | Parents
Jon was born to his parents Estella Michael Batiste (mother) and Jea Batiste (father). He is a member of a New Orleans musical dynasty, the Batiste family, that includes Lionel Batiste of the Treme Brass Band, Milton Batiste of the Olympia Brass Band, and Russell Batiste Jr. At the age of 8, he played percussion and drums with his family’s band, the Batiste Brothers Band. His father was a professional musician and the manager of the Batiste Brothers band that featured him. Jon’s mother on the other hand is a homemaker and a housewife who always supported Jon’s talent with his brothers.
Jon Batiste Wife Cancer | Illness
Is Jon Batiste Gay? No, Batiste is not Gay. He is currently married to a White American woman named Suleika Jaouad. The two lovers met when they were teenagers at a popular band camp. Since then, Jon and Suleika became closer and closer until they declared their relationship official during an interview with a CBS News Sunday Morning show back in April 2022.
Jon and his wife then exchanged vows through a private wedding ceremony held back in February 2022. Batiste revealed to the public that his wife is a cancer survivor who had to undergo Chemotherapy until the cancer was in remission. Suleika was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2011 when she was only 22 years old. According to a March 2021 interview with Health magazine, she was given a 35% chance of survival. Although, she documented her experience as a young adult battling cancer in the New York Times column and video series, Life, Interrupted, which went on to win an Emmy Award.
Jon Batiste Kids
Jon doesn’t have any kids at the moment. We shall update you once Batiste welcomes his first baby.
Jon Batiste Freedom | Grammy Performance
In 2021, Jon released his latest song Freedom on Youtube Vevo and across all streaming platforms. The song was received well and it has over a million streams and views. In April 2022, Batiste performed and delivered a very vibrant performance of his hit Freedom at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in front of a huge crowd that was cheering for him.
Jon Batiste’s Net Worth
As a celebrated maestro, Batiste has an estimated net worth of around $6 million. His primary source of income is his career as a Singer-songwriter and musician.
Jon Batiste Songs | Albums
Batiste has created several albums and singles in his career life. A few of his playlists include;
- Times in New Orleans (2005)
- Jazz Is Now (2013)
- Christmas with Jon Batiste (2016)
- Hollywood Africans (2018)
- We Are (2019)
- Freedom (2021)
- Rise Up (2014) Single
- Endless Love (2016) Single
- Ohio (2017) Single
- Sweet Lorraine (2018) Single
Jon Batiste Awards and Recognition
Batiste has received several accolades, like being placed in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 music list. Moreover, he was named the Grand Marshal of Endymion Parade in New Orleans in 2018. Jonathan has also been awarded the American Jazz Museum Lifetime Achievement Award, the Harry Chapin ASCAP Humanitarian Award and the Movado Future Legend Award. In 2022, Batiste won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. He was named in Time magazine’s 2022 “Top 100 Most Influential People”, in the Icons category. Batiste was featured on the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s commemorative poster.
Back in May 2017, Batiste bagged an honorary degree from Salve Regina University for his musical achievements and contributions to Newport’s 2014 International Jazz Day. Moreover, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance for “Saint James Infirmary Blues” in 2018. 2020 was when he received two Grammy nominations: his album Chronology of a Dream: Live at the Village Vanguard which was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, and Meditations (with Cory Wong) which was nominated for Best New Age Album.
Additionally, in 2020, Batiste along with Nine Inch Nails band members Trent and Atticus, composed the score for the Disney and Pixar animated film Soul. The three won the Golden Globe, the Critics’ Choice Award, the BAFTA Award, and the Academy Award for Best Original Score. Moreover, Batiste’s Oscar win made him only the second black composer to win an award in the category after Herbie Hancock in 1987). In 2021, Batiste received 11 nominations and became the most nominated artist at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.