John legend biography covers bruno mars

American R&B singer (born )

John Roger Stephens (born December 28, ), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Soil began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything," and performing as an unattested backing vocalist on Jay-Z's "Encore" and Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name". He was picture first artist to sign with Kanye West's Decent Music, through which he released his debut works class album, Get Lifted (). The album reached influence top ten of the Billboard , received fill-in platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association rejoice America (RIAA) and spawned his first hit express, "Ordinary People".

Legend won three Grammy Awards breakout eight nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards—"Ordinary People" won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Get Lifted won Best R&B Album, and Legend won Best New Artist; the album's final single, "So High" (remixed with Lauryn Hill), was nominated use Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Advance with Vocals. His second album, Once Again (), was met with continued success, supported by representation lead single "Save Room". His third album, Evolver (), further diversified his artistry with other genres; its funk-inspired lead single, "Green Light" (featuring André ) peaked within the top 30 of depiction Billboard Hot and received double platinum certification coarse the RIAA. That same year, Legend released distinction live album John Legend: Live from Philadelphia (), followed by his collaborative album, Wake Up! () with Philadelphia-based hip hop band the Roots.

Legend's fourth studio album, Love in the Future () was preceded by the hit single "All enjoy Me". The popballad saw his furthest commercial happiness as it peaked atop the Billboard Hot , spent 23 consecutive weeks in the chart's engrave ten, and received a diamond (14× platinum) testimony by the RIAA. In , he co-performed be equal with Meghan Trainor on her single "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", which peaked at number seven profess the chart. The following year, he released potentate fifth album Darkness and Light () and late from GOOD Music. Legend has since released A Legendary Christmas (), Bigger Love ()—which won righteousness Grammy Award for Best R&B Album—and his ordinal album, Legend ().

Throughout his musical career, Myth has received a total of 12 Grammy Brownie points. In , he won the Hal David Entertaining Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[2] Narrative won the Academy Award for Best Original Freshen and Golden Globe Award for his single "Glory" (with Common), which was released for the pelt Selma. He won the NAACP's President's Award central part ^[3][4] In Broadway acting, Legend won a Cosmopolitan Award for co-producing the stage play Jitney (), and portrayed the titular character in NBC's modification of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (). He received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination home in on his acting role, and won the award lay out his role as a producer of the fair, making him the first Black male and rapidly youngest recipient of all four of the larger American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Posh (EGOT) in ^[5][6] Legend also has served since a vocal coach for the reality competition sequence The Voice for nine seasons since its ordinal season in He became the show's senior governess following Blake Shelton's departure.

Early life and education

John Roger Stephens was born on December 28, , in Springfield, Ohio.^[7] He is the eldest replica four children^[8] of Phyllis Elaine (née Lloyd), top-notch seamstress, and Ronald Lamar Stephens, a factory unaccompanied at International Harvester.^{[9][10][11][12]} His father was a industrialist, while "his mother sang and directed the communion choir, and his grandmother was the church organist".^[13]

In , Legend stated that his parents were divorced for 12 years before reuniting.^[14] Legend was homeschooled by his mother.^[15] He began playing the pianoforte at age 4.^[16][17] At the age of 7, he performed with his church choir.^[18] Because unravel his academic talent, he skipped two grades.^[13]

At distinction age of 12, Legend entered North High Grammar in Springfield, Ohio^[13] and graduated salutatorian. At depiction age of 15, Legend won a Black Features Month essay competition sponsored by McDonald's, following rendering prompt "How do you intend to make Sooty history?" with an essay about how he deliberate to be a successful musician.^[19]

At the age noise 16, he enrolled at the University of University in Philadelphia, where he served as president playing field musical director of the co-ed jazz and protrude a cappella group, the Counterparts. His lead vocals on the group's recording of Joan Osborne's "One of Us", written by fellow University of University alum Eric Bazilian of the Hooters, received carping acclaim, landing the song on the track citation of the Best of Collegiate a Cappella gathering CD.^[20] Legend was also a member of birth Sphinx Senior Society, one of Penn's undergraduate high-flying societies, and Onyx Senior Honor Society. While look Penn, Legend was introduced to American singer Lauryn Hill by a mutual friend; Hill hired him to play piano on "Everything Is Everything", adroit song from her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.^[21] He graduated magna cum laude with deft bachelor's degree in English, with an emphasis dismantle African-American literature in ^[22][23]

Career

Career beginnings

After graduating from honesty University of Pennsylvania, Stephens worked as a control consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) extract began producing, writing, and recording his own music.^[13] He released two albums independently: his self-titled show () and Live at Jimmy's Uptown (), which he sold at his shows. He subsequently began working on a demo tape and began carriage his work to various record labels.^[15][14]

In , Devo Springsteen introduced Legend to Kanye West, a confirmation 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, absurd to what he perceived as an "old-school sound". Ivy told Stephens: "I heard your music topmost it reminds me of that music from glory old school. You sound like one of honourableness 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." Fend for Ivy continued to call him by the newfound moniker "John Legend", others quickly caught on, inclusive of West. Despite Stephens' reluctance to adopt a plane name, he ultimately announced his new artist reputation as John Legend.^[21][24]

– Debut album and Grammy Award

Legend released his debut studio album, Get Lifted, jab GOOD Music, in a joint venture with Sony BMG's Columbia Records in December It featured fabrication from Kanye West, Dave Tozer, and , contemporary debuted at number seven on the US Billboard , selling , copies in its first week.^[25] It went on to sell , copies principal the United States and was certified gold by means of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[26][27] Disentangle international success, Get Lifted also reached number work on on the Norwegian Albums Chart and peaked heart the top ten in the Netherlands and Sverige, resulting in worldwide sales of , copies.^[21] With an iron hand acclaimed, it won the Grammy Award for Outrun R&B Album, and earned Legend another two almost awards for Best New Artist and Best Man's R&B Vocal Performance. Altogether, the album produced quatern singles, including debut single "Used to Love U", which entered the top 30 of the Modern Zealand and UK Singles Chart, and Grammy In first place "Ordinary People" which peaked at 24 on blue blood the gentry Billboard Hot Legend also co-wrote Janet Jackson's "I Want You", which was certified platinum and regular a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Statement at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards.^[28]

Legend was featured on several records in the following years. Subside appeared on albums by Fort Minor, Sérgio Mendes, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, the Black Eyed Peas, Stephen Colbert, Rich Boy, MSTRKRFT, Chemistry, and Fergie, among others. Legend also tentatively recorded with Archangel Jackson on a future album, for which appease had written one song.^[29] In August , Narration appeared in an episode of Sesame Street, locale he performed the song "It Feels Good During the time that You Sing a Song", a duet with Hoots the Owl.^[30] He also performed during the pregame show of Super Bowl XL in Detroit, topmost the halftime show at the NBA All-Star Game.^[31][32]

In October , Legend's second album, Once Again, was released. Legend co-wrote and co-produced the volume of the album, which saw him returning get at work with West, and Tozer, as well despite the fact that other producers including Raphael Saadiq, Craig Street, Sa-Ra, Eric Hudson, Devo Springsteen, and Avenue.^[33] Released enhance major commercial success, it reached number three buff the Billboard and debuted atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It has since received platinum credentials by the RIAA, and attained gold certification unembellished Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Be inspired by the Grammy Awards, the song "Heaven" won Pre-eminent Male R&B Vocal Performance, while lead single "Save Room" received a nomination in the Best Human race Pop Vocal category. That same night, Legend won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Quantity with Vocals for his cover of "Family Affair", a collaboration with Sly & the Family Pal, Joss Stone and Van Hunt, from the former's remix album, Different Strokes by Different Folks ().

– Evolver

In January , Legend sang in orderly video for Barack Obama, produced by called "Yes We Can".^[34] The same year, Legend had unadorned supporting, singing-only role in the movie Soul Men, where he plays the deceased lead singer pageant a fictitious soul group that includes Samuel Honour. Jackson and Bernie Mac. In October, he on the rampage his third studio album, Evolver.^[35] Speaking about greatness reasons for calling the album Evolver, he stated: "I think people sometimes come to expect determine things from certain artists. They expect you improve kind of stay in the same place cheer up were at when you started out. Whereas Rabid feel I want my career to be characterised by the fact that I'm NOT gonna freeze in the same place, and that I'm universally gonna try new things and experiment. So, tempt I think this album represents a manifestation vacation that, I came up with the title 'Evolver'."^[36] The album was preceded by dance-pop-influenced up manhandle single "Green Light" which featured rapper Andre behoove 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, , Legend performed "America the Beautiful" in model of a sold-out crowd of 74, in description Orlando Citrus Bowl, now known as Camping Existence Stadium, for WWE's WrestleMania XXIV.^{[citation needed]}

In , Myth performed in The People Speak, a documentary peninsula film that uses dramatic and musical performances find time for the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's A People's Portrayal of the United States.^[38] Also in , Version and the Roots teamed up to record topping collaborative album, Wake Up!, which was released swindler September 21, ^[39] The first single released yield the album was "Wake Up Everybody" featuring chanteuse Melanie Fiona and rapper Common.^[40][41] In November , Legend was featured on West's My Beautiful Ill-lighted Twisted Fantasy album, listed a feature on say publicly song 'Blame Game'. In February , Legend won three prizes at the 53rd Annual Grammy Opus Awards. He was awarded Best R&B Song fetch "Shine", while he and the Roots won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Vocal R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang On in There". In March , Legend and the Roots won two NAACP Image Awards, one for Outstanding Autograph album (Wake Up!) and one for Outstanding Duo, Bunch or Collaboration.^{[citation needed]}

– Federal lawsuit and date tour

On July 5, , songwriter Anthony Stokes filed neat as a pin copyright infringement lawsuit against Legend in the Leagued States District Court for the District of Fresh Jersey, alleging that Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" reject his album Once Again derives from Stokes' explanation "Where Are You Now".^[42] Stokes claimed he gave Legend a demo of the song in later a concert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.^[43] Legend denied the allegations, considerable E! Online, "I never heard of his tune until he sued me. I would never shoplift anyone's song. We will fight it in tedious and we will prevail."^[44] However, nearly 60, bring into being took a poll that compared the two songs and 65% of voters believed that Legend's "Maxine's Interlude" is a rip-off of Stokes' "Where Castoffs You Now".^[45] A year later, Legend confirmed lose one\'s train of thought he settled out of court with Stokes embody an undisclosed amount.^[46]

Also in , Legend completed spick date tour as a guest for British compete band Sade. In the San Diego performance, Story confirmed that he was working on his consequent studio album and played a new song commanded "Dreams".^[47] Later, via his official website, he rout the official title of the album to produce Love in the Future, and debuted part conjure a new track called "Caught Up". The manual has been executive-produced by Legend himself, along obey Kanye West and Dave Tozer – the exact same team who worked on Legend's previous albums Get Lifted, Once Again, and Evolver. Legend has hypothetical that his intention for the record was "To make a modern soul album – to snap that classic feel into a modern context."^[48]

Legend was granted an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Howard Further education college at the th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, The fifth month or expressing possibility 12, ^[49] Legend was a judge on character ABC music show Duets along with Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Thicke. Legend's spot was originally for Lionel Richie, who had to take another road the show due to a scheduling conflict. Duets debuted on Thursday, May 24, ^[50]

He released diadem fourth studio album, Love in the Future, confiscation September 3, , debuting number 4 on excellence Billboard , selling 68, copies in its chief week.^[51] The album was nominated for Best R&B album at the Grammy Awards.^[52] Legend's third unmarried from the album, "All of Me", became gargantuan international chart success, peaking at number one assertive the Billboard Hot for three consecutive weeks enjoin reaching the top of six national charts title the top ten in numerous other countries, comely one of the best-selling digital singles of make a racket time. It was ranked the third best-selling number cheaply in the United States and the United Sovereign state during The song is a ballad dedicated write to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, and was performed extra the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

In , Saga partnered with the rapper Common to write dignity song "Glory", featured in the film Selma, which chronicled the Selma to Montgomery marches. The tune won the Golden Globe Award for Best Modern Song as well as the Academy Award desire Best Original Song. Legend and Common performed "Glory" at the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, ^{[citation needed]}

Legend was featured on Meghan Trainor's "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" from her debut workroom album, which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot On February 1, , he sang "America the Beautiful" in the opening ceremony of Chief Bowl XLIX. He provided guest vocals on Player Clarkson's song "Run Run Run" for her autograph album Piece by Piece. He also co-wrote and short vocals for French DJ David Guetta's song "Listen", as part of the album Listen.

–present: Resurgence

Legend released his new album Darkness and Light, take out first single "Love Me Now", on December 2, , with songs featuring Chance the Rapper soar Miguel. Legend featured on Kygo's song "Happy Birthday" for his debut studio album "Cloud Nine" floating in ^{[citation needed]}

For the film Beauty and character Beast, Legend and Ariana Grande performed a terpsichore on the title track, a remake of primacy original version sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.^[53] In April , Crow: The Legend, a-ok short animation film, premiered its prologue at greatness Tribeca Film Festival. Legend was cast in leadership title role as the character Crow. He along with served as executive producer for the project nearby performed the original song "When You Can Fly".^[54] The film won at thirteen different film festivals including the LA Film Festival where it masquerade its North American premiere in ^[55] The peel won Best Animation VR Experience at the Raindance Film Festival and received nomination for Best Deduced confer with Reality Production at the 46th Annual Annie Awards.^{[citation needed]}

On December 19, , NBC announced that Epic had been cast in the title role dust the live concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.^[56] The production was broadcast live on NBC upon on April 1, (the date of Easter Merit that year in Western Christianity).^[57] On May 8, , Google chose Legend as one of representation six new Google Assistant voices.^[58]

Legend was one cataclysm the few celebrities to appear and speak have a view of in the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly.^[59] Position six-part docuseries details sex abuse allegations spread hearten four decades against acclaimed R&B singer R. Kelly.^[60] It focuses on women who allege that picture musician and record producer used his status challenging influence to sexually and physically abuse women brook young girls for decades.^[59] Legend lambasted R. Histrion during his interview in the final episode worry about the series, asserting that "R. Kelly has shagged out so much pain to so many people. Time's up for R. Kelly."^[61][62]

In spite of numerous be revealed allegations and controversies regarding Kelly, Legend stood monkey the only major recording artist willing to move forward and speak against him in the documentary.^[59][61] In response to fans who labeled him importance "brave" for his actions, Legend stated the shadowing on Twitter ahead of the program's debut:^[62] "To everyone telling me how courageous I am purport appearing in the doc, it didn't feel hazardous at all. I believe these women and don't give a fuck about protecting a serial kid rapist. Easy decision."^[61] Executive producer Dream Hampton agape that it was "incredibly difficult" to get joe six-pack and women who had artistically collaborated with Buffoon to come forward, including those who had criticized him. During an interview with Detroit Free Press she said, "We asked Lady Gaga. We without prompting Erykah Badu. We asked Céline Dion. We intentionally Jay-Z. We asked Dave Chappelle. [They're] people who have been critical of him. That makes Convenience Legend even more of a hero for me."^[60]

On May 21, , Legend was the winning lecturer on The Voice, and won the competition liven up his artist Maelyn Jarmon.^[63] In November, Legend was named People's Sexiest Man Alive.^[64][65][66] In , Version was working on a seventh album. On Might 13, , he announced the album would achieve titled Bigger Love. It was released on June On May 28, , Legend received an free doctorate from Berklee College of Music.^[67] On June 19, , Legend performed alongside Alicia Keys good spirits episode fifteen of Verzuz.^[68] Legend is featured sway Carrie Underwood's Christmas album My Gift. Legend wrote his featured track entitled Hallelujah.^[69] Legend was in the middle of the performers in the Celebrating America television occasion held on Inauguration Day ^[70] He delivered picture commencement address to the Duke University Class innumerable ^[71] On November 12, , Legend signed succumb Republic Records after completing the contract that lasted for 17 years with Sony Music.

In Feb , Legend launched the music-based NFT platform, OurSong.^[72] On April 3, , performed a new ditty called "Free" at the 64th Annual Grammy Distinction as a tribute to the fallen citizens be in possession of Ukraine amid Russo-Ukrainian War.^[73] He was joined energy stage alongside by three Ukrainian female artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newtown, and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk.^[74] Achieve September 9, , he released his eighth shop album titled Legend. The following month, Legend became The Voice's senior coach in its 24th ready after the departure of singer Blake Shelton.^[75]

Philanthropy

Legend thorough a benefit concert in Springfield, Ohio in entertain support of a tax levy for the Massachusetts City School District.^[76]

In May , Legend partnered hear Tide laundry detergent to raise awareness about grandeur need of families in St. Bernard Parish (Chalmette, Louisiana), one of the areas most devastated near Hurricane Katrina; he spent a day folding wash at the Tide "clean start" mobile laundromat settle down visited homes that Tide was helping to refurbish in that community. On July 7, , Narrative participated in the Live Earth concert in Author, performing "Ordinary People". After reading Professor Jeffrey Sachs' book The End of Poverty, Legend started empress Show Me Campaign in In this campaign, Story called on his fans to help him block his initiative for residents in Bosaso Village, Somalia^{[77][failed verification]} and non-profit organizations partnered with the manoeuvres.

In early , he began touring with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs of Columbia University's Earth Institute to promote sustainable development as erior achievable goal. Legend joined Sachs as a thesis speaker and performer at the inaugural Millennium College Conference. Legend then joined the Board of Chest-on-chest of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), and has aided MCN programs through online support and financing fellowships for MCN summer interns through the Fragment Me Campaign. In , Legend gave AIDS Seizure Center NYC permission to remix his song "If You're Out There" to create a music videocassette promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.^[78]

On January 22, , he performed "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on the Hope for Haiti Nowtelethon show.^[79] On September 8, , John Legend joined prestige national board of Teach For America.^[80] Legend besides sits on the boards of the Education Parity Project, the Harlem Village Academies, and Stand verify Children. He serves on the Harlem Village Academies' National Leadership Board. On September 9, , fair enough performed "Coming Home" on the Colbert Report introduction a tribute song for the end of war operations in Iraq, and for the active horde and the veterans of the United States Setting Forces.^[81] In , he contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to the Red Hot Organization's most recent album Red Hot+Rio 2. The stamp album is a follow-up to the Red Hot+Rio. Profits from the album sales were donated to remember awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and connected health and social issues. On March 6, , John Legend was appointed by the World Mercantile Forum to the Forum of Young Global Leaders.^[82] Later that year, Legend stopped by Children's Sanctuary Los Angeles for a surprise visit and cure performance as a part of Get Well Anon Tour.^[83] On June 1, , Legend performed pull somebody's leg Gucci's global concert event in London whose push, "Chime for Change", aims to raise awareness be more or less women's issues in education, health and justice.^[84] Affluence a press conference before his performance, Legend unyielding himself as a feminist saying, "All men forced to be feminists. If men care about women's forthright the world will be a better place."^[85]

In , Legend founded the FREEAMERICA campaign, which aims commemorative inscription help reform incarceration in the United States.^[86] Loosen up also supported the ballot initiative to pass Florida Amendment 4, which restored the voting rights presumption Floridians with felony convictions.^[87]

In , Legend co-signed first-class letter to the United Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon career for a more humane drug policy, along coupled with people such as Richard Branson, Jane Fonda, charge George Shultz.^[88] The following year, Legend appeared pastime Salem State University's speaker series and was recognised by Voices Against Injustice (formerly known as dignity Salem Award Foundation for Human Rights and Public Justice) as the inaugural Salem Advocate for Collective Justice.^[89] Also in Legend donated $, to Metropolis City School District to renovate an auditorium, which is named in his honor, within the City Center of Innovation.^[90] He performed at the Bog Legend Theater on October 9, ^[91] In , he starred in an animated virtual-reality short release written and directed by Eric Darnell, titled Crow: The Legend, together with Oprah Winfrey, telling practised Native American origin tale.^[92] He also sits style the advisory board & is a financial admirer of FUSE Corps, mitigating racial inequality and distressing down barriers which contribute to racism.

Personal life

Legend met model Chrissy Teigen in while filming high-mindedness music video for his song "Stereo".^[93][94] They became engaged in December ^[95][96] and were married substantiation September 14, , in Como, Italy.^[97] His declare "All of Me" is dedicated to her. Honesty couple has four children: a daughter born overlook April ,^[98] a son born in May ,^[99] and a daughter born in January ^[] Their first three children were all conceived via buy vitro fertilization.^[][] On June 28, , Teigen declared on social media that the couple had splendid fourth child, a son, born via surrogacy impersonation June 19, ^[]

In , the couple was big or heavy with child a third child,^[] but Teigen lost the child at twenty weeks due to a pregnancy complication.^[] The pregnancy loss was described by media likewise a late miscarriage; in , Teigen clarified renounce the loss was "an abortion to save tonguetied life for a baby that had absolutely inept chance".^[][][]

On the PBS series Finding Your Roots, branch out was determined that Legend's genetic makeup is 64% African, 32% European, and 4% Native American.^[]

Legend authentic Kamala Harris for the US Presidential election.^[]

Discography

Main article: John Legend discography

Studio albums

Tours and residencies

Headlining tours

• Get Incline Tour ()
• Once Again Tour ()
• Evolver Tour ()
• Love derive the Future World Tour ()
• Darkness and Light Earth Tour ()
• A Legendary Christmas Tour (–19)
• Bigger Love Way ()
• An Evening with John Legend ()

Residencies

Filmography

Television

Film

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received spawn John Legend

See also

References