Stephen Colbert celebrates Jon Batiste’s 5 Grammy wins, including Album of the Year

Stephen Colbert opened The Late Show on Monday night by honoring his bandleader, Jon Batiste. The multi-talented musician won five Grammy Awards over the weekend including Album of the Year for We Are.

Batiste entered the 64th Annual Grammy Awards with the most nominations (11). He left the ceremony with the most awards (5).

His victory in the best album category was something of a surprise. Batiste’s We Are was up against popular mainstream acts like Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, and Justin Bieber.

Batiste delivered a humble acceptance speech on Sunday night, arguing that there is no such thing as “best musician” or “best album.” But on Monday night, Stephen Colbert’s monologue didn’t shy away from reminding the world that We Are and Jon Batiste are on top of the music world.

Jon Batiste’s image was displayed on the dome inside the Ed Sullivan Theater as Stephen Colbert delivered his monologue. And while Batiste wasn’t back on set yet, he still received an ovation from the Late Show audience.

When Batiste does return to The Late Show, expect another ovation from the crowd and a tribute from Colbert. The Grammy-winner will surely share his thoughts on the entire night, including his performance of “Freedom” and winning Album of the Year.

Batiste, along with the rest of the band Stay Human, has been with Colbert since his version of The Late Show launched in 2015. The band formed around 2005 and released its first full-length album, Social Music, in 2013.

A 2014 performance of the song “Express Yourself” on The Colbert Report introduced Batiste and the band to Colbert. It helped convinced the comedian to ask Stay Human to serve as his house band for The Late Show.

What was your reaction to Jon Batiste taking home five Grammys? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!