'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On the latest episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host announced that American singer Jon Batiste is finally exiting after working on the show for seven seasons. As per an official statement issued by CBS, the 35-year-old star will be leaving the show to "pursue personal and professional interests.”
On August 11's episode of the talk show, Colbert announced that the multiple Grammy Award-winning artist will be leaving the show "for all the best reasons," and will "continue sharing his art with the world.” He further said,
“We’ve been so lucky to have a front row seat to Jon’s incredible talent for the past seven years. And will we miss him here? ‘Yeaaa!’ But we’re happy for you, Jon, and I can’t wait to have you back on as guest with your next hit record. I love you.”
Jon Batiste, who has been the show's band leader, was not present on Thursday's episode when Stephen Colbert made the announcement. The FREEDOM crooner has been away from the band since May 2022, after he took time off from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to look after his leukemia-battling wife, Suleika Jaouad.
Stephen Colbert announced Jon Batiste's replacement with a "musical genius"
Further on Thursday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the 58-year-old host revealed that Jon Batiste will be superceded by Louis Cato, who served as the bandleader while the CRY singer was on a break:
“Louis has done a great job this summer, and he is very humble, so he won’t say this. But I will. He’s a musical genius. He can play basically every instrument over there. Give him an afternoon, he’ll learn how to play Mozart on a shoehorn.”
Cato will take over the position on a permanent basis, and the band will be renamed The Late Show Band from the previous title, Stay Human, when the band was led by Batiste.
As per Variety, Cato will appear on the show from its eighth season, scheduled to premiere on September 6.
Louis has been working with Colbert since 2015 and has also shared spaces with artists like Mariah Carey, A Tribe Called Quest, Talib Kweli, Beyoncé, George Duke, John Legend, Marcus Miller, etc.
According to Variety, the musician happens to be a songwriter, producer and a Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist. He released his first solo in 2016, titled Starting Now. His latest album, Reflections, is in the post-production stages and will be released this year.
On the other hand, Jon Batiste bagged five Grammy awards out of 11 nominations in early 2022. Last year, the musician also won an Academy award for Best Original Score for his contribution to Disney Pixar's animated film, Soul.
