For Jon Batiste, making music is about more than just the awards. He wants to bring joy in the most individualistic way.
After nabbing five Grammys, including Album of the Year for We Are, and rocking the stage with a performance of his song "Freedom" at the April 3 award show, the 35-year-old singer told viewers that's his lyrics are all about inspiring everyone to be themselves.
"I think that there's so much of our greatest natural resource that goes to waste because of people trying to be like somebody else," he told reporters in the press room. "Our greatest natural resource is the human soul. People have stuff in them that could make them be the next, [Albert] Einstein or the next me or whatever. So, when you hear that message and you're in that place where you feel like you're not adequate, or you're not enough, just as you are, I think that actually is what can change the world."
"That's one of the beautiful things about art and creativity is people being their self," he continued. "So I hope that it resonates in that frequency, and it breeds more greatness."
Jon—who beat out some serious competition for the coveted trophy of Album of the Year, which included works from Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish, just to name a few—echoed the same message during his moving acceptance speech.
"I believe this to my core, there is no best musician, best artist, best dancer, best actor," he said during the telecast. "The creative arts are subjective, and they reach people at a point in their lives when they need it most. It's like a song or an album is made and it's almost like it has a radar to find the person when they need it the most."
As for his personal motivation, Jon—who recently revealed he quietly married longtime love Suleika Jaouad—told reporters that his performance stemmed from his focus on two simple things: Family and freedom.
"That was my focus to really give healing and give just some joy, some good old Black joy to the world," Jon shared in the press room. "So that's why when the performance was done, I was hanging with my family. It was such a surreal moment when we won Album of the Year. I just I wasn't prepared because I was just in such a flow state. So, you know, tonight was a good night."