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John Legend Releases Long-Awaited 8th Studio Album ‘LEGEND’

The double album includes features from Rick Ross, Muni Long, Jazmine Sullivan, Jada Kingdom, Rapsody, Ledisi, Jhene Aiko, Ty Dolla $ign, among others.

John Legend, multi-platinum artist and winner of 12 Grammys, has released his eighth studio album, ‘LEGEND‘, on Republic Records. Executive produced by Legend and prolific producer-songwriter Ryan Tedder (Beyoncé, Adele, among others), the vibrant double album is infused with a spirit of sensuality and joy, informed by the utter vulnerability of pain, praise and healing.

Act 1 of the epic double album vividly recalls the mundane and sensual pleasures of a Saturday night – full of lust, ego, sex, and adventure. This record begins with ‘Rounds’, an immersive articulation with Rick Ross, an artist with whom Legend has collaborated perhaps more than any other. Other songs include the steamy R&B of ‘Splash‘ with Jhene Aiko and rapper Ty Dolla $ign, ‘Dope‘, a “summer, humorous song” with rapper JID (Rolling Stone), and ‘Love‘ with Jazmine Sullivan, whom Legend has known since she was a young artist. Act 1 climaxes in the addictive ‘All She Wanna Do‘ with Saweetie.

Act 2 evokes the feeling of a Sunday morning, focusing on healing, intimacy, soul, and commitment. Includes ‘Honey‘, “a sultry, jazz-inspired R&B song” with ‘Muni Long‘ (Billboard), and ‘Wonder Woman‘, a touching tribute to the power and grace of all the women in Legend’s life, featuring nostalgic and exciting Dap Kings. Other songs from Act 2 include ‘Good‘ with Ledisi, a story of intimate healing and the relief that comes from knowing you’re in a relationship with the right person, and ‘Pieces‘, a beautiful and devastating ballad about living with loss and grief.

LEGEND‘ has the feel of a classic, yet it sounds brand new, representing a new beginning for the artist with Republic publishing. At the same time, he asserts his place in the canon of black art, where honoring ancestral history is as much a part of existence as love, beauty, and joy.

I never feel divorced from my ancestors,Legend said. “I have so much reverence for my musical heritage that I don’t feel like I need to leave it behind to be adventurous, creative or try something new. When I’m creating something new, I still hear the voices and influences of Stevie, Marvin, Curtis, Aretha, Nina, Donny, and Prince. Black musicians have always been at the forefront of music innovation. But if hip hop is always about what’s new, with soul music we’re a little more nostalgic… and I hope LEGEND is that synthesis of looking to the future but also relating to where we came from.

Legend will perform ‘Pieces’ from the new album at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 12. Next month, the EGOT winner will return to Las Vegas for the critically acclaimed Love in Las Vegas residency, with shows taking place October 14-29.

Alignment:

ACT I

1 Rounds ft. Rick Ross

2 Waterslide

3 Dope ft. JID

4 Strawberry Blush ft. Free Nationals

5 Guy Like Me

6 All She Wanna Do

7 Splash ft Jhene Aiko, Ty Dolla $ign

8 You

9 Fate ft. Amber Mark

10 Love ft. Jazmine Sullivan

11 One Last Dance

12 All She Wanna Do ft. Saweetie

ACT 2

1 Memories

2 Nervous

3 Wonder Woman

4 Honey ft. Muni Long

5 I Want You to Know

6 Speak in Tongues ft. Jada Kingdom

7 The Other Ones ft. Rapsody

8 Stardust

9 Pieces

10 Good ft. Ledisi

11 I Don’t Love U Like I Used To

12 Home

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