Jon Batiste won album of the year honours for “We Are” at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, giving him five trophies on a night that saw the ’70s funk of Silk Sonic take record of the year and song of the year and newcomer Olivia Rodrigo take three awards.
Batiste honoured the artists he beat. “The creative arts are subjective,” he said. “Be you.”
The multi-genre performer also won for his song “Cry,” the video for “Freedom” and his work with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on the soundtrack for “Soul.”
“I just put my head down and I work on the craft every day. I love music,” he said.
The R&B supergroup Silk Sonic took home awards in all four categories it was nominated in, including record of the year.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak were exuberant as they accepted the honour toward the end of the ceremony. The win puts Mars in historic company again: He becomes the only artist along with Paul Simon to take home the award three times.
“We are really trying our hardest to remain humble at this point,” .Paak said. “But in the industry, they call that a clean sweep!” later adding “drinks is on Silk Sonic tonight!”
The win came after the night's festivities grew grim when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the gathering with an update on the war and his numbers included children injured and killed. “Our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos,” he said. “We are fighting Russia, which brings horrible silence with its bombs. The dead silence. Fill the silence with your music.”
He ended by saying, "Tell the truth about the war on your social networks, on TV. Support us in any way you can any, but not silence. And then peace will come to all our cities.”
John Legend then performed “Free” with Ukrainian exiles including singer-actress Mika Newton and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk.
Rodrigo’s win for best new artist put her in the esteemed company including Carly Simon, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Tom Jones, the Beatles and Billie Eilish.
A veteran of the “High School Musical” series, she became the breakout music star of 2021, leading with her massive viral hit “Drivers License” and following with the single “Good 4 U” and the aching album “Sour,” which took best pop vocal album.
“This is my biggest dream come true,” she said after her best new artist win. She thanked her parents for supporting her dreams, which at one point involved being an Olympic gymnast and quickly veered toward music.
“I want to thank my mom for being so supportive for all of my dreams, no matter how crazy. I want to thank my mom and dad for being equally as proud of me for winning a Grammy as they were when I learned how to do a back walk.”
Winners at the 64th annual Grammy Awards are as follows:
Album of the year
"We Are," Jon Batiste
Record of the year
"Leave the Door Open," Silk Sonic
Best new artist
Olivia Rodrigo
Song of the year (songwriter's award)
"Leave the Door Open," Silk Sonic (Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II and Bruno Mars)
Best rap performance
"Family Ties," Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar
Best pop duo/group performance
"Kiss Me More," Doja Cat featuring SZA
Best country album
"Starting Over," Chris Stapleton
Best R&B album
"Heaux Tales," Jazmine Sullivan
Best pop vocal album
"Sour," Olivia Rodrigo
Best pop solo performance
"Drivers License," Olivia Rodrigo
Best rock album
"Medicine at Midnight," Foo Fighters
Best rock song
"Waiting On a War," Foo Fighters
Best rock performance
"Making a Fire," Foo Fighters
Best rap song
"Jail," Kanye West featuring Jay-Z
Best rap album
"Call Me If You Get Lost," Tyler, the Creator
Best alternative music album
"Daddy's Home," St. Vincent
Best traditional pop vocal album
"Love for Sale," Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Best music video
"Freedom," Jon Batiste
Producer of the year, non-classical
Jack Antonoff
Best R&B song
"Leave the Door Open," Silk Sonic
Best R&B performance
(Tie) "Leave the Door Open," Silk Sonic, and "Pick Up Your Feelings," Jazmine Sullivan
Best music film
"Summer of Soul"
Best country song
"Cold," Chris Stapleton
Best country solo performance
"You Should Probably Leave," Chris Stapleton
Best country do/group performance: "Younger Me," Brothers Osborne
Best comedy album
"Sincerely Louis CK," Louis C.K.
Best roots gospel album
"My Savior," Carrie Underwood
Best gospel album
"Believe For It," CeCe Winans
Best American roots performance
"Cry," Jon Batiste
Best American roots song
"Cry," Jon Batiste
Best musica urbana album
"El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo," Bad Bunny
Best Latin rock or alternative album
"Origen," Juanes
Best improvised jazz solo
"Humpty Dumpty (Set 2)," Chick Corea
Best Latin jazz album
"Mirror Mirror," Eliane Elias with Chick Corea and Chucho Valdes
Best musical theatre album
"The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical"
Best compilation soundtrack for visual media
"The United States vs. Billie Holliday"
Best score soundtrack for visual media
(Tie) "Soul," Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and "The Queen's Gambit," Carlos Rafael Rivera
Best dance/electronic album
"Subconsciously," Black Coffee
Best global music
"Mohabbat," Arooj Aftab
Best global music album
"Mother Nature," Angelique Kidjo
Best traditional blues album
"I Be Trying," Cedric Burnside
Best contemporary blues album
"662," Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Best folk album
"They're Calling Me Home," Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
Best historical album
"Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967)"
