Jon Batiste is one of the most prolific and versatile musicians of any generation. He has spent his career bringing music back to where it started — with the people.

He was born in New Orleans into the legendary Batiste family, and he went on to study at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York. That’s where he established his band Stay Human, which became famous for their musical virtuosity and signature street performances that they called “love riots.” Nowadays, they’re the house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Batiste’s skills as a pianist, composer and bandleader have made him one of the country’s most sought-after collaborators and performers, with appearances at the Grammys, the Kennedy Center Honors, the U.S. Open and the NBA All-Star Game.

In 2021, he won an Academy Award for best original score for his work on the Pixar film Soul, and his latest album We Are received overwhelming critical acclaim. This year, he’s nominated for 11 Grammy Awards — including album of the year — the most of any other artist.

In other words, Jon Batiste is on top of the world.

He joined us to talk more about the making of We Are and the achievements it has brought him.