Jon Batiste proclaimed in song that "We are the chosen ones," and the Recording Academy was all ears.
The five-time GRAMMY winner and 14-time nominee's blockbuster's 2021 album WE ARE earned six nominations and almost as many wins, totaling 11 placements in categories ranging from jazz to classical to America roots music to visual media.
Now, with his fantastic American Symphony debut at Carnegie Hall under his belt, Batiste is back with a new album — one that seems to be even more ambitious than the wildly dynamic WE ARE.
On Aug. 18, Batiste will drop World Music Radio via Verve/Interscope. The buoyant first single "Calling Your Name" is out now; the album features high-profile guests from Lil Wayne to Lana Del Rey to Kenny G.
"I created this album with a feeling of liberation in my life and a renewed sense of exploration of my personhood, my craft and of the world around me unlike anything I had ever felt before," Batiste said in a statement.
As the summer heats up and World Music Radio draws near, here are a few things we know about Batiste's new dispatch.
World Music Radio Features 21 Songs
The sprawling tracklisting is out now:
01 Hello, Billy Bob\
02 Raindance [ft. Native Soul]\
03 Be Who You Are [ft. JID, NewJeans and Camilo]\
04 Worship\
05 My Heart [ft. Rita Payés]\
06 Drink Water [ft. Jon Bellion and Fireboy DML]\
07 Calling Your Name\
08 Clair de Lune [ft. Kenny G]\
09 Butterfly\
10 17th Ward Prelude\
11 Uneasy [ft. Lil Wayne]\
12 Call Now (504-305-8269) [ft. Michael Batiste]\
13 Chassol\
14 Boom for Real\
15 Movement 18' (Heroes)\
16 Master Power\
17 Running Away [ft. Leigh-Anne]\
18 Goodbye, Billy Bob\
19 White Space\
20 Wherever You Are\
21 Life Lesson [ft. Lana Del Rey]
Guests Are Everywhere On World Music Radio
See above: Native Soul, JIC, NewJeans, Camilo, Rita Payés, Jon Bellion, Fireboy DML, Kenny G, Lil Wayne, Michael Batiste, Leigh-Anne, and Lana Del Rey have joined this musical party.
Read More: Jon Batiste Talks New Album We Are, His Brain-Breaking Itinerary & Achieving "Freedom" From Genre
We Have A Cover As Well
In the album art for World Music Radio, a tank-topped and beaded Batiste's eyes are closed, lost in the music emitted from a retro-looking radio-headphones combo.
In the above Instagram post, Batiste shares a lengthier statement about how World Music Radio is designed to "open your heart and stretch your mind, expanding your vision of popular art," as well as "re-examine and redefine terms like world music as they exist in the culture."
Jon Bellion And Ryan Linn Executive Produced It
Well, along with Batiste, that is. Jon Bellion has been nominated for two GRAMMYs — Album Of The Year, for his work on Lizzo's Special and Justin Bieber's Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe). As for Ryan Lynn, he was the co-executive producer on WE ARE as well.
Keep watching this space as more information on World Music Radio comes through!
Here's What Went Down At The World Premiere Of Jon Batiste's 'American Symphony' At Carnegie Hall