Today, GRAMMY-nominated classical-meets-hip-hop duo Black Violin released “Beautiful Day” featuring R&B legend Lalah Hathaway, the final single from their album Full Circle (out this Friday). Produced by Phil Beaudreau (Dr. Dre, Justin Bieber, The Game), the album marks a bold new chapter for the genre-defying duo. Today the duo also announced an extensive fall US tour, full list of dates are below.
”‘Beautiful Day’ is a reminder that no matter the chaos that surrounds us, there is always beauty in the present moment,” says Black Violin’s Will Baptiste. “It’s about choosing to see the light, embracing the small joys, and grounding ourselves in the life that’s happening right now.”
Black Violin members Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus met on the first day of orchestra class in 1996 at Dillard High School of the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. (Baptiste originally wanted to play saxophone in the band, but the orchestra teacher got him assigned to his class after winning a golf bet with the band instructor.) Classically trained by day, they faithfully put on their headphones and listened to the hottest rap records each night. They went to different colleges—Marcus attended Florida International University and Baptiste went to Florida State—but then reconvened, moved into an apartment together, and started trying to produce other musicians.
They developed an act covering hip-hop songs on their violins, which became popular in local clubs. Two years after sending in a tape to Showtime at the Apollo, they were invited to appear on the show—which they won, and kept winning. They were approached by the manager of Alicia Keys, who asked them to perform with the singer at the Billboard Awards. Other offers followed—they toured with Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, opened for the Wu-Tang Clan, and worked with the likes of Alessia Cara, 2 Chainz, and Lil Wayne. All the while, Black Violin continued touring non-stop (playing as many as 200 shows a year) and released two independent, self-financed albums before putting out the acclaimed Stereotypes in 2016, followed by 2019’s Take the Stairs, which was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 2020 GRAMMYs.
Black Violin has always been about taking things further, exceeding expectations, challenging conventions. The duo has steadily built a devoted following and a diverse touring base— culminating in such triumphs as two sold-out shows at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, and appearances on the Today Show, CBS Mornings, and PBS Newshour—while occupying a musical lane that’s entirely its own.
Black Violin’s work extends far beyond the stage, reaching deep into communities nationwide with numerous free performances for students and hands-on engagement with youth symphonies and community centers. Through collaborations with local and national education programs such as Turnaround Arts, Baptiste and Marcus connect with more than 100,000 students throughout the year, including low-income and Title 1 schools, and adopted Bethune Elementary, in Florida’s Broward County (near where they grew up) to initiate an ongoing mentorship program. In 2019, the duo launched the Black Violin Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth by working with them in their communities to provide access to quality music programs that encourage creativity and innovation.
Full Circle finds Black Violin 20 years into their career, arriving back where they began—only now with the clarity that comes from experience. This new chapter is both a reckoning and a renewal, as they confront their past selves while evolving beyond them. The songs feel like natural extensions of their early work—refined, redefined, and charged with the paradox of returning and progressing all at once.
Tracklisting:
1. The Illest
2. Live My Life
3. Drama
4. King
5. The Walk
6. To The Top
7. Smoke
8. Beautiful Day (ft. Lalah Hathaway)
9. Joy
10. Black Box
Black Violin – Full Circle Tour – 2025:
05.02 — Paducah, KY — The Carson Center
05.03 — Fort Smith, AR — TempleLive
05.04 — Dallas, TX — Majestic Theatre
05.06 — Lawrence, KS — Leid Center of Kansas
05.08 — Toledo, OH — Toledo Cultural Arts Center
05.09 — Bay Harbor, MI — Great Lakes Center for the Arts
05.10 — Flint, MI — Capitol Theatre
07.25 — Newport Beach, CA — Back Bay Amphitheatre
07.26 — Del Mar, CA — The Sound
09.25 — North Bethesda, MD — Music Center at Strathmore
09.27 — York, PA — VENUE TBA
09.28 — Lynchburg, VA — Historic Academy Theatre at Academy Center of the Arts
09.30 — Charlottesville, VA — The Paramount Theater
10.01 — Patchogue, NY — Patchogue Theatre
10.02 — Keene, NH — The Colonial Theatre
10.03 — Red Bank, NJ — Count Basie Center
10.04 — Worcester, MA — The Hanover Theatre
10.05 — Albany, NY — The Palace Theatre
10.08 — Eau Claire, WI — Pablo Center at the Confluence
10.09 — Milwaukee, WI — Uihlein Hall
10.10 — Dayton, OH — Schuster Center
10.11 — Rockford, IL — Coronado Theatre
10.30 — Austin, TX — The Long Center
11.02 — Houston, TX — 713 Music Hall
11.03 — San Antonio, TX — HEB Performance Hall
11.07 — Hampton, VA — Jazz Legacy Festival
11.08 — Durham, NC — DPAC
11.09 — Bethlehem, PA — Musikfest Cafe
11.11 — Pittsburgh, PA — Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland
11.12 — Champaign, IL — Virginia Theatre
11.13 — Pontiac, MI — The Flagstar Strand Theatre
11.14 — Columbus, OH — Palace Theatre
11.15 — Cleveland, OH — KeyBank State Theatre
11.16 — Cincinnati, OH — Taft Theatre
04.16 — Mesa, AZ — Ikeda Theater
