The 2024 Grammy race may have just gotten a shakeup. Jon Batiste, who dominated the 2022 awards with his breakout album “We Are,” has announced a followup, “World Music Radio,” set to come out Aug. 18 on Verve/Interscope.
Among the guests on the album is Lana Del Rey, returning the favor from Batiste’s recent appearance on two tracks on her “Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” release earlier this year. Their collaboration, “Life Lesson,” is listed as a bonus track wrapping up the 21-song release, but is likely to be the most anticipated track, however it’s billed.
Other guests include Lil Wayne on “Uneasy,” Kenny G on “Clair De Lune,” Native Soul on “Raindance,” Leigh-Anne on “Running Away,” Jon Bellion and Fireboy DML on “Drink Water,” Rita Payés on “My Heart,” Heroes on “Movement 18′” and Michael Batiste on “Call Now (504-305-8269).”
On Wednesday morning Batiste also released the first single from the album, “Calling Your Name.” This may not represent his ultimate major play for record of the year honors, seeing as it clocks in at a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it one minute and 57 seconds.
“I created this album with a feeling of liberation in my life and a renewed sense of exploration of my personhood, my craft and of the world around me unlike anything I had ever felt before,” Batiste said in a statement accompanying the release news.
One of the songs, “Be Who You Are,” was already released this month as part of a Coke promotion.
Befitting his interest in crossover, the Interscope imprint is a new one for Batiste, as his last release was solely attributed to the traditionally jazz- and singer-songwriter-oriented Verve label.
Batiste, the former television band leader for Stephen Colbert, shocked Grammy prognosticators when the “We Are” album picked up 14 nominations in seven categories in 2021 and went on to win five trophies the following year, including record of the year. Those honors came atop the best original score Oscar he collected alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for his work on Pixar’s “Soul” in 2020.
“World Music Radio” is being released as a double-LP, among other formats, with signed green vinyl available in his webstore.
The full track list:
Tracklist:
1. Hello, Billy Bob
2. Raindance (ft. Native Soul)
3. Be Who You Are (ft. J.I.D, NewJeans, Camilo)
4. Worship
5. My Heart (ft. Rita Payés)
6. Drink Water (ft. Jon Bellion, Fireboy DML)
7. Calling Your Name
8. Clair De Lune (ft. Kenny G)
9. Butterfly
10. 17thWard Prelude
11. Uneasy (ft. Lil Wayne)
12. CALL NOW (504-305-8269) (ft. Michael Batiste)
13. Chassol
14. BOOM FOR REAL
15. MOVEMENT 18’ (Heroes)
16. Master Power
17. Running Away (ft. Leigh-Anne)
18. Goodbye, Billy Bob
19. White Space
20. Wherever You Are
21. (Bonus track) Life Lesson (ft. Lana Del Rey)
