Grammys 2022: Billie Eilish and Finneas cheer as Jon Batiste performs his single Freedom

Jon Batiste demanded a good bit of attention as the most-nominated artist at the 64th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night (April 3) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and delivered a sparkling, dance-friendly performance of his record of the year-nominated hit, Freedom.

As per Billboard, Batiste started his concert sitting at a grand piano, displaying his ability behind the keys before standing and welcoming a full band and choir on an eye-catching, pastel-coloured stage arrangement. “Freedom” was portrayed as a happy frolic, with Batiste contorting his limbs with delight around the bright forms onstage, then stopping in awe to stare at another grand piano on an elevated platform. He neatly combined the two sides of the show, encouraging the audience to rise up and dance while dancers surrounded him on each side.

Interestingly, the performance finished with Batiste in the crowd, proudly rising up in front of Billie Eilish’s table and receiving one of the evening’s loudest cheers. With 11 nominations, Batiste, who is also the bandleader on CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, will take home at least four awards: best music video for Freedom, best American roots performance and song for Cry, and best score soundtrack for visual media for his Oscar-winning work on Soul with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails. 

Meanwhile, Billie Eilish also performed her Grammy-nominated song Happier Than Ever at the 2022 Grammy Awards on Sunday night, wearing a Taylor Hawkins shirt (a nod to Foo Fighters’ recently deceased drummer) and appearing in a set designed to look like an upside-down room with water pooling at her feet, a nod to the song’s nominated music video.

ALSO READ:Grammys 2022: Billie Eilish performs nominated song Happier Than Ever, pays tribute to Taylor Hawkins