Jon Batiste Opens Up About Getting Vulnerable for New Documentary ‘American Symphony’

Throughout Jon Batiste’s career, the composer worked alongside iconic artists like Prince, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz, and numerous others. While no stranger to the spotlight thanks to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the Grammy Award winner welcomed fans and Netflix into his home with the new documentary American Symphony. Although a look into his creative mastery, the documentary also sheds light on mental health and his partner, Suleika Jaouad, ongoing battle with cancer. With the documentary available to stream Wednesday, Batiste discussed the intimate details and what he hopes people learn from the film. 

Letting The Music Evolve

Sitting down with Billboard, Batiste juggled numerous questions about his career and how much Jaouad plays a part in his music. The composer explained how he plays pieces and “fragments” of his work to her, but added, “It’s kind of hard to show that to Suleika in full before it happens, it just has to become what it is through a process of constant listening, refinement, composition.”

Batiste also pointed to American Sumphony, suggesting it to be more than a song. “It’s meant to be a vehicle that evolves over many many years with different folks who can take ownership of all the themes of the piece, and the form and structure. Fifty years from now, if this is played in another part of the world by different musicians, it would be its own unique version.”  

Although the documentary focuses on his talents, award-winning director Matthew Heineman didn’t shy away from Batiste’s personal life and Jaouad’s struggles with cancer. And apparently, that is how Batiste wanted it to be. “The vulnerability required of our family to share what you see is something we wanted to move forward with. Sometimes pulling the curtain back is an opportunity for us all to tap into our humanity and not only see me in a certain way and realize, ‘Wow, these are things we all go through.’ We can all grow from seeing it and have a deepened respect for this person we admire.”

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Showing The Humanity Behind Fame

Besides sharing his life with the world, Batiste also discussed mental illness and never being afraid to seek help. He admitted to wanting to be a “beacon” for artists who are successful and struggle with their “mental state”. Wanting them to feel validated, he insisted, “We’re all just human beings dealing with the same set of things. It’s better if we show it more, rather than hide it away in a curated social media presence.” 

American Symphony will be available to stream on Netflix starting Wednesday, November 29.

(Featured Image by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)