What Brandi Carlile, Jacob Collier & Jon Batiste Teach About Living Legacy
There are three contemporary artists I’ve been closely following over the past few years: Brandi Carlile, Jacob Collier, and Jon Batiste. I love them not only for their extraordinary musical talents but for something deeper: their expansive, collaborative spirit. Each of them engages with the world—and their work—with a wide-open heart.
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Brandi Carlile lifts up the voices of others at every turn—whether she’s harmonizing with musical legends, such as Elton John and Joni Mitchell, or mentoring emerging artists through the Looking Out Foundation.
Jacob Collier invites thousands of strangers into harmony, both literally and figuratively, through his wild, improvisational “audience choir” concerts and genre-bending collaborations (see here, here, & here).
Jon Batiste weaves social justice, joy, and spiritual openness into everything from late-night performances to community street concerts and soul-stirring musical interpretations.
They are seekers of truth, not just in their art but in the way they show up in public life. They listen deeply. They uplift others. They create in conversation, not isolation.
Jon Batiste’s 2022 Grammy acceptance speech (you can watch it here) moved me when I first watched it—and still does. There’s a moment in his speech that speaks directly to the way I feel about legacy as something we live into as opposed to simply something we leave behind.
Legacy as a Creative Practice
In a recent Legacy Lounge session—a cozy online gathering I host for those exploring what it means to live and leave a meaningful legacy—I shared a reflection inspired by Batiste’s 2022 Grammy speech. Where Batiste expressed his belief that art isn’t about being the “best,” but about being honest, present, and open enough to let something real come through, I would say the same goes for creating a lasting legacy that is true to you.
In the Legacy Lounge video excerpt below I talk about the idea that living itself can be a creative act. Only a select few will be honoured with a Grammy award in their lifetime. But legacy-making and living creatively is not reserved for famous artists. Our legacies are shaped in quiet, everyday ways: in the way we show up for a conversation, the quality of our presence, and our way of being in the world.
Watch the Legacy Lounge excerpt here:
As you reflect on your own legacy, consider:
What are the small, creative ways you live it out each day?
Where are you being led by presence rather than performance?
What might shift if you approached your life—not just your work—as your greatest creative offering?
Photo credit: Emma Love Photography
Author: Karla Combres
As a Legacy Guide & Celebrant, I help individuals, couples, families and organizations make the big and small moments in life count, and shape their legacy along the way. I offer:
Drawing on my vast experience as a Life-Cycle Celebrant and in working with people at the end of life, I am uniquely qualified to help people move through transitions meaningfully and to think about how they want to leave this world so they can live better now.
I’m based in Saskatchewan, Canada and serve clients worldwide. Read more about me here.