On Sunday, composer Jon Batiste performed a reimagined version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl LIX. According to an interview with The Associated Press, Batiste’s inspiration for his reinterpretation of the National Anthem pulled from “Drag Rap” by The Showboys—aka the Triggerman beat—a signature sound of New Orleans bounce and hip-hop culture.
“It’s the first time in the history of the anthem that had samples included in it,” Batiste told The AP. “We almost couldn’t clear the main sample that I wanted until the night before.”
Batiste played a piano decorated with a butterfly painting made by his wife, Suleika Jaouad, intended to represent a resilient spirit.
Following the Super Bowl, Batiste shared My United State, a two-track project featuring “Star-Spangled Batiste Blues” and “Notes from My Future Self.”
Batiste is also celebrating his hometown of New Orleans with a special edition of his 2021 album WE ARE. The limited-edition vinyl features a red, yellow, and green splatter design and is available for pre-order. WE ARE won a Grammy award for Album of the Year in 2022.
Batiste, the multi-hyphenate and former Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader, wrote WE ARE as a love letter to his southern roots and the heritage of Black Music. The album features guest appearances by Mavis Staples, Quincy Jones, Zadie Smith, PJ Morton, Trombone Shorty, St Augustine Marching 100, his father Michael Batiste, grandfather David Gauthier and more. WE ARE’s emphasis on catharsis, joy, freedom, and sensuality felt especially resonate as it was released amidst a worldwide pandemic and social unrest.
In addition to Album of the Year, WE ARE took home awards for Best Music Video for the song “Freedom,” as well as Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song for “Cry.”
Earlier this month, Batiste won a pair of Grammys for his Netflix documentary American Symphony. The movie itself won Best Music Film while the track “It Never Went Away” took home the award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
The next day, Batiste and James Bay released a collaborative song titled “Sunshine In The Room.” In November, Batiste released Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1), a series of interpolations of Beethoven classics on solo piano.
Order the special New Orleans edition of WE ARE now.
