Jon Batiste took the 2022 Grammy Awards stage to perform a live rendition of his song “FREEDOM.” Wearing a shiny suit covered by a heavy black cape, the pianist took to the stage showcasing his skills on the keys. In dramatic fashion, Batiste dropped the cape and stood up from the piano and brought the vibrant energy of his single alive.
Lively performers—who showcased the beauty and versatility of Black hair with each look—danced across the colorful set in alignment with Batiste’s own footwork as he hit every note. As the performance shifted into high gear, Batiste demanded the audience to get out of their seats as he and the dancers swarmed the crowd.
Batiste held the most nominations across the board at this year’s ceremony. The singer earned 11 total recognitions including both album and record of the year.
“My goodness, I’m so over the moon. We made this album throughout the pandemic and we had so many things going on,” the New Orleans native expressed to the New York Times after the nominations were announced. “We recorded the soundtrack and the score for ‘Soul’ during the pandemic. It was so much. You always put your blood, sweat, and tears into the craft of making an album, but it was doubly so during that time.”
Watch a snippet of Jon Batiste’s performance “FREEDOM” at the 2022 Grammy Awards below.
?. Jon Batiste – "Freedom" ??#GRAMMYs
pic.twitter.com/XOclfSXuJr— R&B Home (@RnBHomeMusic) April 4, 2022