Jon Batiste Reveals What Billie Eilish and Finneas Mentioned to Him Earlier than Album of the 12 months Grammy Win

Jon Batiste made a triumphant, emotional return to work on Tuesday evening (April 5) when he swapped the bandstand for the sofa to speak about his enormous evening on the 2022 Grammy Awards whereas sharing a touching second with boss and pal, present host Stephen Colbert.

“Man, it’s a lot I’m nonetheless processing,” Batiste mentioned about his emotions after profitable 5 golden gramophones, together with album of the 12 months for We Are. “First, I believed the truth that my household was there with me to witness that’s unimaginable. It’s unimaginable. Simply a lot went into that second: piano classes, some civil rights marches.”

Batiste broke down his hectic Grammy week, which he mentioned included a number of rehearsals and a fashionably super-late arrival on Sunday evening. Whereas all however one in all his wins got here within the pre-broadcast portion, Batiste didn’t actually get to savor these moments as a result of his giant crew and the packed manufacturing scheduled delayed his arrival.

“We had been late,” he mentioned. “We had been late for the ceremony and the pre-broadcast. My complete household was with me. My grandfather was with me — he’s virtually 90… he’s 89 years outdated. My dad, my mother, my nephews, my sister. My pal Ryan, who govt produced the file with me… and a bunch of different individuals I don’t fairly know very nicely… They had been hanging out. It was as complete bunch of individuals within the room on a regular basis.”

He defined that when you might have a night-leading 11 nominations, no one mentions that between rehearsals to your on-air efficiency (of the joyous “Freedom”), sound examine, strolling the pink carpet and wardrobe fittings you’ll seemingly miss the entire pre-telecast. Colbert gently defined that the manufacturing didn’t actually plan for that as a result of, “you had been the one one with 11 nominations… you possibly can’t count on them to vary the entire day only for you,” he smiled.

Colbert then rolled the tape of Lenny Kravitz asserting the AOTY award and Batiste simply needed to snigger. “Man, it’s a lot I’m nonetheless processing it,” Batiste mentioned. “First off, the truth that my household is there to witness that’s simply unimaginable. It’s unimaginable. Simply a lot went into that second: piano classes, some civil rights marches.”

Batiste mentioned he was nonetheless buzzing from his colourful, high-energy efficiency — “you could possibly have ended the present there, you burned it to the bottom,” mentioned Colbert — and after altering out of his sweaty stage garments he was chilling again within the viewers in his bejeweled cloak catching the vibe of the room. And when he noticed “Uncle Lenny” on stage on the brink of learn the identify of the evening’s huge winner he thought the rocker should have recognized one thing. “I believe he needed to know… as a result of he stored me. It was so surreal,” he mentioned.

After which Batiste’s mom instructed him, “‘you bought this one,’” and he mentioned, “‘yeah, ma.’” In a double-down, he mentioned Finneas and Billie Eilish rotated and mentioned, “‘we actually hope you win this one.’” However when the second got here, he virtually missed it.

“After which they mentioned, ‘We Are,’ and the individuals had been so loud,” he recalled. “It was so loud that I virtually didn’t actually understand it was me as a result of they didn’t say my identify till after the title. I used to be like, ‘Perhaps that’s any individual else’s album that seems like We Are.’” In spite of everything that, Batiste mentioned his huge celebration included going out for a meal and, mid-way via, splitting for some well-deserved sleep.

The section ended with a candy second between the co-workers whose mutual admiration fills the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater each evening when Colbert earnestly and lovingly congratulated Batiste on his secret marriage to longtime love Suleika Jaouad final month. “Sure!” Batiste shouted as he confirmed off his bling with an enormous smile.

“We had plenty of personal conversations about that,” Batiste mentioned, getting emotional as Colbert laid his hand over Batiste’s. “They actually helped me… and what we’re going via is such the alternative of the lights and the digicam and the glitz of all the things within the enterprise,” he added of the ceremony that befell in February the day earlier than Jaouad was admitted to a hospital to endure a bone marrow transplant after she was recognized with leukemia for a second time.

“But it surely’s constructed on the identical basis, which is your love for one another,” Colbert mentioned as the lads locked eyes. “That’s how they’re the identical. That’s how all issues are the identical… all issues are one. And music runs via it.”

Watch Batiste recount his evening on The Late Present beneath.