Legend's fourth studio album, Love in the Future (2013) was preceded by the hit single "All of Me". The popballad saw his furthest commercial success as it peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, spent 23 consecutive weeks in the chart's top ten, and received a diamond (14× platinum) certification by the RIAA. In 2015, he co-performed with Meghan Trainor on her single "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", which peaked at number seven on the chart. The following year, he released his fifth album Darkness and Light (2016) and departed from GOOD Music. Legend has since released A Legendary Christmas (2018), Bigger Love (2020)—which won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album—and his ninth album, Legend (2022).
John Roger Stephens was born on December 28, 1978, in Springfield, Ohio.[7] He is the eldest of four children[8] of Phyllis Elaine (née Lloyd), a seamstress, and Ronald Lamar Stephens, a factory worker at International Harvester.[9][10][11][12] His father was a drummer, while "his mother sang and directed the church choir, and his grandmother was the church organist".[13]
In 2004, Legend stated that his parents were divorced for 12 years before reuniting.[14] Legend was homeschooled by his mother.[15] He began playing the piano at age 4.[16][17] At the age of 7, he performed with his church choir.[18] Because of his academic talent, he skipped two grades.[13]
At the age of 12, Legend entered North High School in Springfield, Ohio[13] and graduated salutatorian. At the age of 15, Legend won a Black History Month essay competition sponsored by McDonald's, following the prompt "How do you intend to make Black history?" with an essay about how he intended to be a successful musician.[19]
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Stephens worked as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and began producing, writing, and recording his own music.[13] He released two albums independently: his self-titled demo (2000) and Live at Jimmy's Uptown (2001), which he sold at his shows. He subsequently began working on a demo tape and began sending his work to various record labels.[15][14]
In 2001, Devo Springsteen introduced Legend to Kanye West, a then up-and-coming hip-hop artist; Stephens was hired to co-write or perform hooks on several of West's songs. After signing to West's GOOD Music, Stephens chose his stage name from an idea that was given to him by poet J. Ivy, due to what he perceived as an "old-school sound". Ivy told Stephens: "I heard your music and it reminds me of that music from the old school. You sound like one of the legends. As a matter of fact, that's what I'm going to call you from now on! I'm going to call you John Legend." After Ivy continued to call him by the new moniker "John Legend", others quickly caught on, including West. Despite Stephens' reluctance to adopt a stage name, he ultimately announced his new artist name as John Legend.[21][24]
In January 2008, Legend sang in a video for Barack Obama, produced by will.i.am called "Yes We Can".[34] The same year, Legend had a supporting, singing-only role in the 2008 movie Soul Men, where he plays the deceased lead singer of a fictitious soul group that includes Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac. In October, he released his third studio album, Evolver.[35] Speaking about the reasons for calling the album Evolver, he stated: "I think people sometimes come to expect certain things from certain artists. They expect you to kind of stay in the same place you were at when you started out. Whereas I feel I want my career to be defined by the fact that I'm NOT gonna stay in the same place, and that I'm always gonna try new things and experiment. So, as I think this album represents a manifestation of that, I came up with the title 'Evolver'."[36] The album was preceded by dance-pop-influenced up tempo single "Green Light" which featured rapper Andre 3000 of OutKast and became his highest-charting single since "Ordinary People"; it was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.[37] On March 30, 2008, Legend performed "America the Beautiful" in front of a sold-out crowd of 74,635 in the Orlando Citrus Bowl, now known as Camping World Stadium, for WWE's WrestleMania XXIV.[citation needed]
In 2009, Legend performed in The People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.[38] Also in 2009, Legend and the Roots teamed up to record a collaborative album, Wake Up!, which was released on September 21, 2010.[39] The first single released from the album was "Wake Up Everybody" featuring singer Melanie Fiona and rapper Common.[40][41] In November 2010, Legend was featured on West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, listed a feature on the song 'Blame Game'. In February 2011, Legend won three prizes at the 53rd Annual Grammy Music Awards. He was awarded Best R&B Song for "Shine", while he and the Roots won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang On in There". In March 2011, Legend and the Roots won two NAACP Image Awards, one for Outstanding Album (Wake Up!) and one for Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration.[citation needed]
2011–2015: Federal lawsuit and 50-date tour
Legend at the Citi Presents: Evenings with Legends show in 2014
On July 5, 2011, songwriter Anthony Stokes filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Legend in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleging that Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" from his 2006 album Once Again derives from Stokes' demo "Where Are You Now".[42] Stokes claimed he gave Legend a demo of the song in 2004 following a concert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[43] Legend denied the allegations, telling E! Online, "I never heard of his song until he sued me. I would never steal anyone's song. We will fight it in court and we will prevail."[44] However, nearly 60,000 people took a TMZ.com poll that compared the two songs and 65% of voters believed that Legend's "Maxine's Interlude" is a rip-off of Stokes' "Where Are You Now".[45] A year later, Legend confirmed that he settled out of court with Stokes for an undisclosed amount.[46]
Also in 2011, Legend completed a 50-date tour as a guest for British soul band Sade. In the San Diego performance, Legend confirmed that he was working on his next studio album and played a new song called "Dreams".[47] Later, via his official website, he revealed the official title of the album to be Love in the Future, and debuted part of a new track called "Caught Up". The album has been executive-produced by Legend himself, along with Kanye West and Dave Tozer – the same team who worked on Legend's previous albums Get Lifted, Once Again, and Evolver. Legend has stated that his intention for the record was "To make a modern soul album – to flip that classic feel into a modern context."[48]
Legend was granted an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Howard University at the 144th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 12, 2012.[49] Legend was a judge on the ABC music show Duets along with Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Thicke. Legend's spot was originally for Lionel Richie, who had to leave the show due to a scheduling conflict. Duets debuted on Thursday, May 24, 2012.[50]
He released his fourth studio album, Love in the Future, on September 3, 2013, debuting number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 68,000 copies in its first week.[51] The album was nominated for Best R&B album at the 2014 Grammy Awards.[52] Legend's third single from the album, "All of Me", became an international chart success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and reaching the top of six national charts and the top ten in numerous other countries, becoming one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. It was ranked the third best-selling song in the United States and the United Kingdom during 2014. The song is a ballad dedicated to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, and was performed at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
Legend was featured on Meghan Trainor's "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" from her debut studio album, which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. On February 1, 2015, he sang "America the Beautiful" in the opening ceremony of Super Bowl XLIX. He provided guest vocals on Kelly Clarkson's song "Run Run Run" for her album Piece by Piece. He also co-wrote and provided vocals for French DJ David Guetta's song "Listen", as part of the album Listen.
2016–present: Resurgence
Legend released his new album Darkness and Light, with first single "Love Me Now", on December 2, 2016, with songs featuring Chance the Rapper and Miguel. Legend featured on Kygo's song "Happy Birthday" for his debut studio album "Cloud Nine" released in 2016.[citation needed]
For the 2017 film Beauty and the Beast, Legend and Ariana Grande performed a duet on the title track, a remake of the 1991 original version sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.[53] In April 2017, Crow: The Legend, a short animation film, premiered its prologue at the Tribeca Film Festival. Legend was cast in the title role as the character Crow. He also served as executive producer for the project and performed the original song "When You Can Fly".[54] The film won at thirteen different film festivals including the LA Film Festival where it made its North American premiere in 2018.[55] The film won Best Animation VR Experience at the 2018 Raindance Film Festival and received nomination for Best Virtual Reality Production at the 46th Annual Annie Awards.[citation needed]
Legend was one of the few celebrities to appear and speak out in the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly.[59] The six-part docuseries details sex abuse allegations spread over four decades against acclaimed R&B singer R. Kelly.[60] It focuses on women who allege that the musician and record producer used his status and influence to sexually and physically abuse women and young girls for decades.[59] Legend lambasted R. Kelly during his interview in the final episode of the series, asserting that "R. Kelly has brought so much pain to so many people. Time's up for R. Kelly."[61][62]
In spite of numerous public allegations and controversies regarding Kelly, Legend stood as the only major recording artist willing to come forward and speak against him in the documentary.[59][61] In response to fans who labeled him as "brave" for his actions, Legend stated the following on Twitter ahead of the program's debut:[62] "To everyone telling me how courageous I am for appearing in the doc, it didn't feel risky at all. I believe these women and don't give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision."[61] Executive producer Dream Hampton revealed that it was "incredibly difficult" to get men and women who had artistically collaborated with Kelly to come forward, including those who had criticized him. During an interview with Detroit Free Press she said, "We asked Lady Gaga. We asked Erykah Badu. We asked Céline Dion. We asked Jay-Z. We asked Dave Chappelle. [They're] people who have been critical of him. That makes John Legend even more of a hero for me."[60]
On May 21, 2019, Legend was the winning coach on The Voice, and won the competition with his artist Maelyn Jarmon.[63] In November, Legend was named People's Sexiest Man Alive.[64][65][66] In 2020, Legend was working on a seventh album. On May 13, 2020, he announced the album would be titled Bigger Love. It was released on June 19. On May 28, 2020, Legend received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.[67]
On June 19, 2020, Legend performed alongside Alicia Keys for episode fifteen of Verzuz.[68] Legend is featured on Carrie Underwood's Christmas album My Gift. Legend wrote his featured track entitled Hallelujah.[69] Legend was among the performers in the Celebrating America television event held on Inauguration Day 2021.[70] He delivered the commencement address to the Duke University Class of 2021.[71] On November 12, 2021, Legend signed with Republic Records after completing the contract that lasted for 17 years with Sony Music.
In February 2022, Legend launched the music-based NFT platform, OurSong.[72] On April 3, 2022, performed a new song called "Free" at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards as a tribute to the fallen citizens of Ukraine amid Russo-Ukrainian War.[73] He was joined on stage alongside by three Ukrainian female artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newtown, and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk.[74] On September 9, 2022, he released his eighth studio album titled Legend. The following month, Legend became The Voice's senior coach in its 24th season after the departure of singer Blake Shelton.[75]
In May 2007, Legend partnered with Tide laundry detergent to raise awareness about the need of families in St. Bernard Parish (Chalmette, Louisiana), one of the areas most devastated by Hurricane Katrina; he spent a day folding laundry at the Tide "clean start" mobile laundromat and visited homes that Tide was helping to rebuild in that community. On July 7, 2007, Legend participated in the Live Earth concert in London, performing "Ordinary People". After reading Professor Jeffrey Sachs' book The End of Poverty, Legend started his Show Me Campaign in 2007. In this campaign, Legend called on his fans to help him in his initiative for residents in Bosaso Village, Somalia[77][failed verification] and non-profit organizations partnered with the campaign.
In early 2008, he began touring with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs of Columbia University's Earth Institute to promote sustainable development as an achievable goal. Legend joined Sachs as a keynote speaker and performer at the inaugural Millennium Campus Conference. Legend then joined the Board of Advisors of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), and has aided MCN programs through online support and funding fellowships for MCN summer interns through the Show Me Campaign. In 2009, Legend gave AIDS Service Center NYC permission to remix his song "If You're Out There" to create a music video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.[78]
On January 22, 2010, he performed "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on the Hope for Haiti Nowtelethon show.[79] On September 8, 2010, John Legend joined the national board of Teach For America.[80] Legend also sits on the boards of the Education Equality Project, the Harlem Village Academies, and Stand for Children. He serves on the Harlem Village Academies' National Leadership Board. On September 9, 2010, he performed "Coming Home" on the Colbert Report as a tribute song for the end of combat operations in Iraq, and for the active troops and the veterans of the United States Armed Forces.[81] In 2011, he contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to the Red Hot Organization's most recent album Red Hot+Rio 2. The album is a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot+Rio. Proceeds from the album sales were donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues. On March 6, 2012, John Legend was appointed by the World Economic Forum to the Forum of Young Global Leaders.[82] Later that year, Legend stopped by Children's Hospital Los Angeles for a surprise visit and acoustic performance as a part of Get Well Soon Tour.[83] On June 1, 2013, Legend performed at Gucci's global concert event in London whose campaign, "Chime for Change", aims to raise awareness of women's issues in education, health and justice.[84] At a press conference before his performance, Legend identified himself as a feminist saying, "All men should be feminists. If men care about women's rights the world will be a better place."[85]
In 2014, Legend founded the FREEAMERICA campaign, which aims to help reform incarceration in the United States.[86] He also supported the 2018 ballot initiative to pass Florida Amendment 4, which restored the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions.[87]
In 2016, Legend co-signed a letter to the United Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon calling for a more humane drug policy, along with people such as Richard Branson, Jane Fonda, and George Shultz.[88] The following year, Legend appeared on Salem State University's speaker series and was recognized by Voices Against Injustice (formerly known as the Salem Award Foundation for Human Rights and Social Justice) as the inaugural Salem Advocate for Social Justice.[89] Also in 2017 Legend donated $500,000 to Springfield City School District to renovate an auditorium, which is named in his honor, within the Springfield Center of Innovation.[90] He performed at the John Legend Theater on October 9, 2016.[91] In 2018, he starred in an animated virtual-reality short film written and directed by Eric Darnell, titled Crow: The Legend, together with Oprah Winfrey, telling a Native American origin tale.[92] He also sits on the advisory board & is a financial supporter of FUSE Corps, mitigating racial inequality and breaking down barriers which contribute to racism.
Personal life
Legend met model Chrissy Teigen in 2006 while filming the music video for his song "Stereo".[93][94] They became engaged in December 2011[95][96] and were married on September 14, 2013, in Como, Italy.[97] His 2013 song "All of Me" is dedicated to her. The couple has four children: a daughter born in April 2016,[98] a son born in May 2018,[99] and a daughter born in January 2023.[100] Their first three children were all conceived via in vitro fertilization.[101][100] On June 28, 2023, Teigen announced on social media that the couple had a fourth child, a son, born via surrogacy on June 19, 2023.[102]
In 2020, the couple was expecting a third child,[103] but Teigen lost the baby at twenty weeks due to a pregnancy complication.[104] The pregnancy loss was described by media as a late miscarriage; in 2022, Teigen clarified that the loss was "an abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance".[105][106][107]
^"Songwriters Hall of Fame". Induction for John Legend. Artisan News. June 22, 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
^Jocelyn Vena, "'Hope For Haiti Now' Telethon Airs Tonight at 8 P.M.: George Clooney, Wyclef Jean and Hollywood's biggest names help raise money for earthquake relief." MTV News, January 22, 2010, found at MTV News. Accessed January 22, 2010.
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