John Legend’s Life and Career as an Entertainer

John Legend is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. John has won twelve Grammy Awards and received thirty-three Grammy Award nominations. He has also garnered an Emmy Award, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award, making him an EGOT winner. John served as a coach on the hit NBC show The Voice alongside coaches Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, and Camila Cabello. In 2022, John performed a “Love in Las Vegas,” a months-long residency in Las Vegas. He is also a skilled Hollywood actor, appearing in the Oscar-winning film La La Land and starring as Jesus Christ in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, broadcast live on NBC in 2018.

Before John Legend became a legendary singer-songwriter, he was just a boy from Springfield, a small town in Ohio. Learn more about John’s life below:

1. 1. He comes from humble beginnings. John Legend’s real name is John Roger Stephens. He is the son of blue-collar workers: His mother, Phyllis, was a seamstress and his father, Ronald, was a factory worker.
2. 2. He had his goals in sight since high school. When he was fifteen years old, John wrote an essay published in the Dayton Daily News outlining his future goals: “I envision a successful musical career that will allow me to obtain high visibility in the community. This, in turn, will put me in a position of great influence, which I will utilize in order to be an advocate for the advancement of Blacks in America.” One can say he’s met and exceeded his goals.
3. 3. His career started in business. John didn’t come out of the gate winning Grammys. While still in college at the University of Pennsylvania, John met American singer-songwriter and hip-hop artist Lauryn Hill, who asked John to be a featured piano player on her song “Everything Is Everything,” which appeared on her landmark 1998 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Then, after graduation, John worked for three years as a business management consultant in New York City while playing gigs at night.
4. 4. His stage name comes courtesy of poet J. Ivy. John’s stage name, John Legend, was coined by American poet J. Ivy. After hearing him play one night, J. Ivy proclaimed that John sounded “like one of the legends,” prompting the emerging singer to take on the stage name by which he’s known today.
5. 5. He is committed to social activism. John has launched multiple foundations, including the Show Me Campaign and FREE AMERICA, to address issues such as poverty, education reform, and criminal justice reform. John’s commitment to social activism has often fused with his artistic talent, as exemplified by “Glory,” a song about the American civil rights movement that he worked on with performing artist Common for the award-winning 2014 film Selma. The song went on to win the two musicians an Oscar.

John Legend’s solo albums include his much-lauded debut Get Lifted (2004), Once Again (2006), Evolver (2008), Love in the Future (2013), Darkness and Light (2016) and Bigger Love (2020). His hits include the Billboard No. 1 song “All of Me,” “Ordinary People,” and “Glory,” among others.

John has collaborated with The Roots on the album Wake Up! (2010) and has written and performed songs with other artists, such as “American Boy,” performed by British singer Estelle and American hip-hop artist Kanye West; “Work Out,” performed by American hip-hop artist J. Cole; and “Hallelujah,” a duet performed with country singer Carrie Underwood. He provided vocals on Kelly Clarkson’s song “Run, Run, Run,” Alicia Keys's song “You Don't Know My Name,” and Meghan Trainor’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.” John’s wife, model Chrissy Teigen, has appeared in many of his music videos, including “Stereo,” “All of Me,” and “Wild.”

John Legend is an expert on crafting memorable songs. If you are writing your first song or a new song, here is what you will learn from John’s class:

1. 1. Anyone can write a song. According to John, “anyone can write a song,” but writing a good song “starts with knowing who you are as an artist, what your style is, and how you want to impact people with your voice or writing.” John will teach you how to find your voice, how to develop an ear for music, and how to “steal from the best.”
2. 2. Find the story. John is also a lyricist, and he says a key way to find the lyrics for a song is first to figure out the subject matter of the song, what the story is that you want to tell and what you want to say in that moment. “Think about what you wanna say, what you wanna put out in the world, who you are, all the influences that have informed your thoughts, your musical style, all of that,” John says. “And then figure out how to craft a song that channels all those feelings, all those inspirations, [and] all those influences.”
3. 3. Music can blend genres. Blending multiple musical genres can be a way to widen your audience. John began writing in gospel music, then blended that genre with soul, hip hop, and R&B. He says, “​​I think genre blending is an important way of making your music have a broader reach.”
4. 4. Practice makes perfect. John’s class includes a bonus segment where he lays out the important lessons he’s learned from writing songs for more than twenty years. One key thing he’s learned is practice makes perfect. “Everything you create is not gonna be amazing,” John says. “But if you keep trying, if you keep working, you'll get better at it.”
5. 5. Songs have different forms. John will show you the ins and outs of structuring a song, what makes a song work musically, and how to build a story through your song. “Every song is not gonna follow the same form,” he says. “But either way, you want every aspect to lead to the next aspect in the right way. You want the transitions to flow, you want it to sound like they belong together.”

For additional learnings on music and performance, consider the following courses:

1. 1. Alicia Keys on songwriting and producing: Alicia is a prolific singer-songwriter and producer and has sold more than forty-two million records worldwide. Learn about how to draw from your life to create music and build energy in the recording studio with Alicia’s class.
2. 2. Christina Aguilera on singing: Christina is an award-winning singer-songwriter known for her octave-jumping vocal range. Watch Christina’s class to learn vocal warm-ups and techniques to build your vocal range.
3. 3. Usher on the art of performance: Usher is a hit R&B singer and actor known for his smooth vocals. Learn about how to best prepare for live performances and captivate audiences with Usher’s class.

If you want to make music that moves people, tell a story through song. Learn John Legend’s approach to songwriting, his process for capturing feeling in lyrics, plus his tips for performing live when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.