Jon Batiste has announced a new album, World Music Radio, featuring special guest appearances by Lil Wayne, Lana Del Rey, Kenny G, JID, K-pop group NewJeans, and more. Due out August 18th via Verve Records/Interscope Records, the 21-track album is Batiste’s first since he took home five awards at the 2022 Grammys including Album of the Year for his last album, We Are, and subsequently left his position as bandleader on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
“World Music Radio is a concept album that takes place in the interstellar regions of the universe. The listener is led through the album by an interstellar traveling griot named Billy Bob Bo Bob, who takes you sonically all around the world at the speed of light,” Batiste said of the album in a statement.
“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,” he continued.
“This new album will fill your soul, open your heart and stretch your mind while expanding your vision of popular art. We really wanted to re-examine and redefine terms like world music as they exist in the culture…(more on the later) … There was a lot of joy in making this and it definitely translates to the listening experience, and now to you.”
Along with the announcement comes the new single “Calling Your Name”, an unabashed pop tune that will appear on the album alongside the recently released track “Be Who You Are” featuring JID, NewJeans, and Camilo. Listen to “Calling Your Name” below or on your preferred streaming platform.
World Music Radio is available for pre-order here. Watch the album trailer below. Scroll down to view the album artwork and click below to view the full tracklist.
Jon Batiste – “Calling Your Name”
Jon Batiste – World Music Radio Trailer
