Career:
Jon Batiste was born in Kenner, Louisiana, into a long line of musicians, including Lionel Batiste and Harold Battiste. At the age of 8, he played percussion and drums with his family's band, the Batiste Brothers Band. At his mother's suggestion, he switched to piano at the age of 11. Jon developed his piano skills by taking classical music lessons and transcribing songs from video games such as Street Fighter Alpha, Final Fantasy VII and Sonic the Hedgehog.
At 17, Batiste released Times in New Orleans. He attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with Trombone Shorty and graduated in 2004 before going on to receive a bachelor's and master's degree from the Juilliard School. While at Juilliard, he released his second album Live in New York: At the Rubin Museum of Art, and by the end of 2006, had been a featured performer in South Africa, London, Lisbon, Spain, Paris and the United States.
In 2007, Batiste made his debut at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam at the age of 20, both producing and performing his own show. He conducted music clinics, classes and workshops throughout Netherlands in inner city schools and underprivileged neighborhoods. He was invited back to Carnegie Hall to produce and perform in his own show including six young musicians from the Netherlands. The performance concluded with a finale he composed for choir, jazz combo and orchestral instruments. In the year following, Batiste released a number of music projects including Social Music (2013) which spent over a month at the top of the Billboard and iTunes jazz charts, "The Late Show EP" (2016) with Stay Human and a holiday album "Christmas with Jon Batiste" (2016). In 2017, he released the singles "Ohio" with Leon Bridges and Gary Clark Jr. as well as "Battle Hymn of the Republic" for The Atlantic. Batise's debut solo album Hollywood Africans was released under Verve Records in September 2018. "Don't Stop" served as the lead single. Leading up to the album release, Batiste completed a Summer Festival tour across the U.S. with The Dap-Kings.
Batiste's notable career performances include a tribute to Chuck Berry and Fats Domino during the 60th annual Grammy Awards (performing alongside Gary Clark Jr.), the Kennedy Center Honors in tribute to Carmen De Lavallade, the Concert for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama as well as the National Anthem at the 2017 NBA All Star Game and Opening Night of the 2017 US Open. He has curated the Global Citizen Advocacy Concert with Tom Morello and the Louis Armstrong Wonderful World Festival in Queens, N.Y. Batiste is currently signed with Mick Management.
Stay Human.
In 2005, Batiste began performing regularly around the New York music scene with his Juilliard peers, bassist Phil Kuehn and drummer Joe Saylor. He later added Eddie Barbash on alto saxophone and Ibanda Ruhumbika on tuba. Batiste named the band Stay Human, which draws its moniker from the belief that human interaction during a live musical performance can uplift humanity in the midst of the "plug in/tune out" nature of modern society. The band leads impromptu street performances, which Batiste calls "love riots."
In 2011, Stay Human released the album MY N.Y., which was recorded in its entirety on New York City Subway trains, an idea that came to Batiste after questioning how to connect with people.
On April 22, 2017, the band played for the March for Science rally at the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.
Television and film:
In 2014, Batiste and Stay Human appeared on The Colbert Report to perform the group's single, "Express Yourself", written and produced with Austin Bis. On June 4, 2015, it was announced that the group would serve as house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The show premiered on CBS on September 8, 2015. On the show, Batiste and Stay Human have performed alongside Billy Joel, Will Smith, Wynton Marsalis, John Legend, Grace Vanderwaal, and Nas.
Batiste was cast in the HBO television series Treme, appearing in seasons 2, 3 and 4. He was also cast as T.K. Hazelton in director Spike Lee's film Red Hook Summer and composed and performed the Hammond B-3 organ music that was a part of the film score. Other film scores composed by Batiste include the television documentary Duke 91 & 92: Back to Back and the short film Melody of Choice. He also appears in the film Thrive by Paul Szynol.
Miscellaneous.
Batiste was included in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 music list and was named Grand Marshal of Endymion Parade in New Orleans in 2018. He has been awarded the American Jazz Museum Lifetime Achievement Award, the Harry Chapin ASCAP Humanitarian Award and the Movado Future Legend Award. In May 2017, Batiste received an honorary degree from Salve Regina University for his musical achievements and contributions to Newport's 2014 International Jazz Day.
Batiste has been featured in campaigns for Chase Bank, Apple Watch, Lincoln Continental, and numerous fashion brands including Ralph Lauren, Barneys, Nordstrom, Frye Boots and Bonobos.
In April 2022, his album 'We Are' won Album of the Year at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, making Batiste the first Black artist to win the award since Herbie Hancock in 2008.
Discography
Times in New Orleans (2005)
Live in New York: At the Rubin Museum of Art (2006)
In the Night (2008)
The Amazing Jon Batiste! (2009)
MY N.Y. EP (2011) with Stay Human
Social Music (2013) with Stay Human
The Process (2014) with Chad Smith and Bill Laswell
The Late Show EP (2016) with Stay Human
Christmas with Jon Batiste (2016)
Music of Johny Lewis (2017) with Wynton Marsalis
Hollywood Africans (2018)
Be Who You Are
Jon Batiste Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lonely one out there on an eagle's wings
You're bringing something they can't bring
And singing something they can't sing
I know it's lonely when saying something
They ain't heard
Don't want to share a mumbling word
But just follow me and we will learn
That you can only be who you are
That's just who I am, that's just my radio
That's just who I am, that's just my video
That's just who I, I, I am
I, I, I can't pretend 'cause I know
You can only be who you are
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (my radio)
That's just who I am, that's just my video
Wherever you are, real magic
You can only be who you are
Look, all short days turned to long nights
I don't take breaks, I don't buy the hype
We donе made the way but no time to wastе
There's no wait in line stay place your wager
Bet on little buddy, betting safer
Melancholically cool calm behavior
Before the thunder rains storm the pavement
I grew some wings that we could fly away with
Do the things that you can't explain
And find a way to get outside the maze
What we made of? On the cusp
But doing something greater, unafraid
Been over all the underestimation
Don't get mad at your imagination
If it's real magic, you ain't gotta chase it
You can only be who we are
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (ooh)
That's just who I am, that's just my video
That's just who I, I, I am
I, I, I can't pretend 'cause I know
You can only be who you are
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (my radio)
That's just who I am, that's just my video
Wherever you are, oh, Lord
You can only be who you are
언제나 걸고 있는 주문이 들리지
Clear all the talk away, there's nothing better really (yes)
우리 이대로 다 go ahead and try
완성됐어 이미 (yeah)
Got into the spirit (yeah)
잘했어 we did it yeah, yeah
Ajá, voy, que venga to'l mundo a ver
Que cuando estoy contigo es mi cosa preferida (ajá)
Que la vida es más grande mientras más es compartida (ajá)
Que cuando estamos juntos, mi vida
La magia no termina
We can only be who we are
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (ooh)
That's just who I am, that's just my video
That's just who I, I, I am
I, I, I can't pretend 'cause I know
You can only be who you are (radio, radio, radio)
Can't pretend, I can only be
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (eso es lo que soy yo, real magic)
That's just who I am that's just my video (real magic, where you are)
We can only be who we are
The lyrics to Jon Batiste's song "Be Who You Are" convey a message of embracing and celebrating one's uniqueness. The song begins by addressing a person who feels lonely and misunderstood, someone who brings something different and sings something they haven't heard before. The singer acknowledges the loneliness that comes with saying something new, but encourages the person to follow him and learn that they can only be themselves. The chorus reinforces this idea, stating that being who they are is their radio, their video, and their real magic. The lyrics encourage the listener to embrace their true self, to not pretend to be someone else, and to understand that they have something special to offer.
The second verse speaks directly to the listener, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and not getting caught up in the hype or wasting time. The lyrics suggest that the listener has already paved their own way and should place their bets on themselves. The verse talks about growing wings and flying away from the ordinary, doing things that can't be explained and finding a way out of the confusing maze of life. The lyrics imply that the listener is on the brink of something great and should not be afraid or underestimated. The verse ends with a reminder to not be mad at one's imagination and to not chase after real magic because it already exists within oneself.
Overall, "Be Who You Are" is an empowering song that encourages individuals to embrace their uniqueness, be true to themselves, and recognize that they have their own special magic to offer the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Radio
I am a unique voice, reaching out to the world
Lonely one out there on an eagle's wings
Though I may feel alone, I soar above the rest
You're bringing something they can't bring
I offer something special that no one else possesses
And singing something they can't sing
I express thoughts and emotions that others cannot articulate
I know it's lonely when saying something
I understand the isolation that comes from expressing oneself
They ain't heard
They have yet to listen and comprehend
Don't want to share a mumbling word
I refuse to communicate incoherently or without purpose
But just follow me and we will learn
However, if they listen and pay attention, we can both gain knowledge and understanding
That you can only be who you are
One can only truly be themselves, without any pretense or deception
That's just who I am, that's just my radio
That's my essence, my unique identity as a source of music and connection
That's just who I am, that's just my video
That's my essence, my unique identity as a visual medium of expression
That's just who I, I, I am
That's who I truly am, unapologetically and authentically
I, I, I can't pretend 'cause I know
I cannot pretend to be someone else because I am aware of my true self
Look, all short days turned to long nights
Despite the challenges and hardships, I persevere and continue
I don't take breaks, I don't buy the hype
I don't pause or get swayed by superficial trends
We donе made the way but no time to waste
We've already created our path, and we must not waste any time
There's no wait in line stay place your wager
Don't wait around; take action and place your bet on yourself
Bet on little buddy, betting safer
Believe in yourself, as it's a safer bet than relying on others
Melancholically cool calm behavior
Maintain a cool and calm demeanor, even in times of sadness or reflection
Before the thunder rains storm the pavement
Resolve any conflicts or obstacles before they become more destructive
I grew some wings that we could fly away with
I developed the ability to transcend limitations and explore new possibilities with others
Do the things that you can't explain
Engage in actions and experiences that defy conventional understanding
And find a way to get outside the maze
Discover a path to escape the complexities and confusion of life
What we made of? On the cusp
What are we capable of? We're on the brink of something great
But doing something greater, unafraid
Instead of settling, we strive for greatness without fear
Been over all the underestimation
We have overcome being underestimated or undervalued
Don't get mad at your imagination
Don't be upset with your creative thoughts and ideas
If it's real magic, you ain't gotta chase it
If it's genuine and magical, it will come to you naturally without force
언제나 걸고 있는 주문이 들리지
Can you hear the spell that is always being cast?
Clear all the talk away, there's nothing better really (yes)
Ignore all the meaningless chatter; there's nothing more rewarding
우리 이대로 다 go ahead and try
Let's continue as we are and let others attempt to imitate
완성됐어 이미 (yeah)
It's already complete, without any further improvement needed
Got into the spirit (yeah)
Become immersed in the essence or atmosphere (yeah)
잘했어 we did it yeah, yeah
Well done, we achieved success (yeah, yeah)
Ajá, voy, que venga to'l mundo a ver
Alright, I'm ready, let the whole world come and see
Que cuando estoy contigo es mi cosa preferida (ajá)
Because when I'm with you, it's my favorite thing (ajá)
Que la vida es más grande mientras más es compartida (ajá)
That life becomes greater when shared with others (ajá)
Que cuando estamos juntos, mi vida
That when we're together, my life
La magia no termina
The magic never ends
We can only be who we are
Together, we can only be our authentic selves
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (ooh)
That's my essence, my unique identity as a source of music and connection (ooh)
That's just who I am, that's just my video
That's my essence, my unique identity as a visual medium of expression
That's just who I, I, I am
That's who I truly am, unapologetically and authentically
I, I, I can't pretend 'cause I know
I cannot pretend to be someone else because I am aware of my true self
Can't pretend, I can only be
I cannot fake or masquerade; I can only be genuine
That's just who I am, that's just my radio (eso es lo que soy yo, real magic)
That's my essence, my unique identity as a source of music and connection (that's what I am, real magic)
That's just who I am, that's just my video (real magic, where you are)
That's my essence, my unique identity as a visual medium of expression (real magic, wherever you are)
We can only be who we are
Together, we can only be our authentic selves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Anthony Ferguson, Anthony Sibbles, Benjamin Brown, Bernard Lyn, Camilo Echeverry, Destin Route, Fitzroy Ogilvie Simpson, George Bennett, Hyunji Kim, Jackie Mittoo, Jason A. Cornet, John Baptiste, Jon Bellion, Peter Anthony Nappi, Ylva Dimberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind