NEW YORK, May 26, 2026 – The USTA today announced that its 2026 US Open marketing campaign – the flagship ‘Spectacular Awaits’ – debuts nationwide today, featuring the visionary music and voice of eight-time Grammy, Emmy and Academy Award-winning artist Jon Batiste. The renowned singer, songwriter, composer and pianist created a unique, contemporary remix of the classic ‘New York Groove,’ that sets the stage for a bigger-than-ever 2026 event as the US Open further establishes itself at the forefront of culture and entertainment.
The multidimensional ‘Spectacular Awaits’ campaign debuts as Amex Presale Tickets® go on sale today (while supplies last; terms apply), with tickets going on sale to the general public at noon ET on Thursday, May 28, via Ticketmaster and USOpen.org. This latest edition of the US Open’s marquee promotional platform elevates the spotlight on the US Open by uniting Batiste’s voice and music with all aspects of the growing cultural phenomenon that is the US Open – the legendary champions, the unforgettable experience and the iconic backdrop of New York City, dovetailing with the theme of the 2026 US Open, ‘Celebrating Our New York Story.’
Batiste – who performed the National Anthem on Opening Night of the 2017 US Open and has been a regular attendee in the years since – narrates 30- and 15-second spots set to his ‘New York Groove’ remix – content that will be utilized within digital and social campaigns and on local and national television. ESPN, exclusive domestic broadcast partner of the US Open, will also feature a parallel promotional campaign for the US Open set to ‘New York Groove’ – an additional synergy between the US Open and ESPN as their 12-year, domestic broadcast partnership extension begins this year.
“The Open has become a family tradition,” said Batiste. “So honored to welcome the world to New York for this occasion.”
“Jon’s music and voice are so incredibly powerful. It’s amazing to have an artist with such a musical dynamism connect with the signature campaign that we’ve built over a number of years,” said Nicole Kankam, Managing Director, Pro Tennis Marketing and Entertainment, USTA. “Working with Jon marks a culmination for ‘Spectacular Awaits,’ as his visionary artistry is the perfect complement for the standard-setting cultural spectacle the US Open has come to embody.”
Born and raised in New Orleans with deep roots in jazz, Batiste began immersing himself in the culture and music of New York in the early 2000s. He attended and graduated from The Juilliard School and formed the band, Stay Human, which would go on to become the house band of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS from 2015-2022, with Batiste as the bandleader and musical director. Batiste now serves as the Creative Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.
Most recently, he announced three new studio albums beginning with Black Mozart (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 2), arriving Juneteenth, followed by Thelonious Monk: Monk Meditations and Monk Movements on August 14. Reimagining the works of Mozart and Thelonious Monk through a distinctly Black American musical lens, the project continues his acclaimed solo piano series following 2024’s Beethoven Blues, which was #1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart for five consecutive weeks and #1 on Classical Crossover Albums for nine consecutive weeks.
Last year, Batiste debuted BIG MONEY, which won the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. He is currently on tour in Asia, with further dates planned across Europe and North America later this summer. He next will compose the score for Amazon MGM’s The Thomas Crown Affair directed by Michael B. Jordan.
