Jon Batiste says he barely spoke as a child. Now, he's making "social music."

TL;DR

Jon Batiste, a Grammy-winning performer, describes himself as an introvert focused on creating "social music" to unite people.
He grew up in Kenner, Louisiana, was quiet as a child, and learned piano at his mother's suggestion, later excelling despite initial sight-reading challenges at Juilliard.
Batiste served as the bandleader for "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert for seven years while pursuing his own musical projects.
He creates music through improvisation, often feeling the music intensely while playing and only fully hearing it upon playback.
His "love riots" involve leading musicians in public spaces like the subway to create moments of shared joy and belonging.
Batiste's music is also influenced by his relationship with his wife, Suleika Jaouad, who has leukemia, and he composes music like "Butterfly" to support her healing.
He views the high and low points of life as interconnected and essential for finding gratitude.

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