Nobody has a voice like Jon Batiste, and on Super Bowl Sunday we’re getting a chance to hear him perform the National Anthem on the biggest stage of them all. The final performer of pre-game is going to leave a lasting impression, with Batiste likely being the best known of the singers before Super Bowl LIV — even if you might not know his work.
Jon Batiste, Super Bowl national anthem singer, explained
Here’s what you need to know about Jon Batiste.
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Growing up in Metairie, Louisiana, part of the New Orleans metro area, Batiste hails from a legendary jazz family. In total over 25 notable jazz musicians have come from the family, dating back to 1931 — and they’re as much a part of the fabric of the city as jazz itself.
Playing drums in his family band at age eight, Jon Batiste switched to learning classical piano at his mother’s suggestion. From there he continued to perform locally in New Orleans, before being accepted into the Juilliard School in New York City.
Blending traditional jazz sensibilities with soul, pop, and funk — Batiste has carved out a niche for himself while always being true to his roots. He now serves as creative director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, NY — as well as The Atlantic.
Most people probably know Batiste’s work without knowing it. He won an Oscar along with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for his score of the Pixar animated film Soul, as well as serving as Stephen Colbert’s band leader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from 2015 until 2022, when he left to pursue more creatively fulfilling work.
Batiste is going to blow people away with this rendition of the anthem, so brace yourself because we have a chance for an all-time brilliant performance.
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