Do you wish it felt easier to make connections with others?

In this episode, recorded live from the Barclays Center in NY, the Surgeon General and Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Jon Batiste share their experiences with reaching out to others. Even with complete strangers or in brand new situations, their approaches have countered loneliness and paved the way for new relationships. Jon opens up about his student days in New York, when he struggled to find his footing in a new place far from home in New Orleans, to how he views and manages the fame that is now part of his life.

As both men share their experiences with loneliness, they focus on the mental health of young people and some of the challenges this generation is experiencing. The conversation also speaks to the unique power of music to inspire and unite people. As Jon notes, just the simple sound of notes being played is an experience we can all share.

Jon Batiste warms up and closes this conversation with beautiful performances that make you want to be along for the ride. 

(07:58)    Adjusting to life in New York as a student at Julliard

(10:54)    Creatively making creating connections in NY

(12:59)    How did Jon Batiste develop confidence with strangers he could carry on stage?

(19:24)    How has fame impacted his life?

(22:59)    How does he stay connected with friends and family?

(29:11)    Why does who we spend our time with matter so much?

(30:52)    How can music bring people together?

(34:51)    Have you ever experienced a musical “love riot?”

(38:56)    How does Jon Batiste manage technology in his life?

(43:56)    What are some simple ways we can connect with others?

(48:39)    What are some steps we can take toward collective reconnection?

(53:15)    Jon Batiste’s closing song

We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at [email protected] with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.   

Jon Batiste, Singer & Songwriter

Twitter: @JonBatiste 

Instagram: @jonbatiste 

Facebook: @JonBatisteMusic 

About Jon Batiste

Jon Batiste is a five-time Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter and composer. 

Batiste is the subject of Matthew Heineman’s moving documentary "American Symphony,” which debuted with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground in November 2023. The documentary follows Jon in early 2022, when he finds himself celebrated with 11 Grammy nominations, including album of the year. Amid that triumph, Jon is immersed in his most ambitious challenge yet: composing an original symphony for a performance at the storied Carnegie Hall. However, this extraordinary trajectory is upended when Jon’s life partner, NYT bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist Suleika Jaouad, learns that her long-dormant cancer has returned.

Jon’s latest studio album, “World Music Radio” draws inspiration from his mission to create community and expand culture with the power of music. The album received widespread critical acclaim for its universal message and genre-defying sound, hailed by the Associated Press as “a mesmerizing way to dial into Batiste’s eclectic and wide musicality.” 

His 2021 studio album, “We Are,” was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards across seven different categories, a first in Grammy history. He went on to win five Grammy Awards that evening, including the coveted “Album of the Year.”

Batiste composed and performed music for the Disney/Pixar film "Soul,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. He is the second Black composer in history to win an Academy Award for composition. “Soul” also earned Batiste a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a NAACP Image Award and a Critic’s Choice Award. 

From 2015-2022, Batiste served as the bandleader and musical director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Born and raised in New Orleans, Batiste received both a B.A. and M.F.A. at the world-renowned Juilliard School in NYC.