Jon Batiste Releases New Album 'World Music Radio'

Multi-GRAMMY® and Oscar® winner Jon Batiste invites the world to experience the marriage of hard-hitting pop songs to a rich tapestry of international sounds on his highly anticipated album, World Music Radio, released via Verve Records/Interscope Records. The album is accompanied by the music video for standout track, “Uneasy,” featuring Lil Wayne, who shows off his masterful guitar skills and raps a verse on the song.

Jon Batiste delves into the profound question: Isn't all music, in essence, world music? Drawing inspiration from Batiste’s mission to create community with the power of music, this album serves as a sonic passport for listeners' ears, inviting them on a transformative musical journey meant for everyone.

Of World Music Radio, Jon says, “A range of collaborators in locations all across the globe made this a reality. There was a lot of joy in making this, and it definitely translates to the listening experience – and now to you.”

On World Music Radio, Jon Batiste reaches new artistic heights by collaborating with a diverse range of global talents on the album. Collaborators include GRAMMY-nominated producer Jon Bellion as well as renowned artists such as Lil Wayne, Lana Del Rey, Kenny G, Fireboy DML, J.I.D, Camilo, NewJeans, and more.

The release of this pivotal project comes with the dynamic visuals for the track “Uneasy,” Batiste’s collaboration with Lil Wayne. The music video for this melody exquisitely compliments this collaboration between the two musicians — with Lil Wayne’s snappy verses and incendiary guitar solo providing the perfect juxtaposition for Batiste’s smooth-as-butter vocals and bright piano scoring.

Devoted to spreading the joy of music in his own community, Batiste also recently surprised students at Brooklyn Music School and the Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra, telling them, “If you make something from your heart, somebody out there will feel it." Batiste was joined by one of the young students on CBS Mornings to discuss World Music Radio and the special surprise.

World Music Radio follows the success of Batiste’s historic and critically acclaimed album WE ARE, which swept the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards winning five awards, including prestigious Album of the Year.

His career-spanning fourteen nominations across seven categories is not only a first in GRAMMY history, it also proves his ability to defy genres; an assertion of which he undeniably upholds within this newest musical endeavor.

The New York Times exclaims the project is “a fantastical concept album that challenges music’s provincial genre borders, with a message of open-armed inclusivity for a fractured political era.”

In 2020, Batiste was honored with an Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on the Disney/Pixar film SOUL, which he shared with fellow composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The score won him a GRAMMY award and also garnered him a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a NAACP Image Award, and a Critic's Choice Award.

Notably, Batiste became the second black composer in history, following the legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock, to win an Academy Award for composition. This summer, Batiste also released his single “Be Who You Are” for the Coke Studio™ program.

The release comes accompanied by two performances from Batiste in New York City — this morning, he will be participating in the TODAY Show Summer Concert Series and will take the stage this evening at Brooklyn Steel.

The festivities continue next week, as Batiste celebrates this exceptional album in Los Angeles at The Fonda on August 23. Batiste has also been sharing his music with audiences around the world this year, with recent performances in Brazil and France as well as two upcoming shows in Japan.

Photo Credit: Emman Montavalan

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