All of John Legend

At the age of 26, John Stephens made a bold move. Rather, he reluctantly agreed to his friends’ suggestion. Right before releasing his debut album, he changed his name to John Legend. He had always known that he would make it in the music industry. Still, this was taking an immense risk. The son of a factory worker and a part-time seamstress, he grew up in a small town in Ohio. After meeting Kanye West through some friends, they started working together and Legend released his debut album Get Lifted in 2004. Collaborations with Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill quickly followed. Legend won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Golden Globe Award in 2015 for co-writing the song ”   Glory” from the film Selma. In 2018, Legend was cast in the title role in the live concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Has he attained legendary status? It could be a topic up for debate, but one thing is certain, Legend is well known the world over, with youtube views in the billions and 10 (!) Grammy awards to his name. His wife Chrissy Teigen is a star in her own right. A half-Thai model signed to IMG, she has appeared in numerous TV shows in America and has published several books. The two married in Lake Como, Italy, in 2013 and have two kids, a boy and a girl, born in 2016 and 2018.

One might say it’s not hard after all the success he’s had, but there’s an air of tranquil optimism to John Legend. He arrives in a joyous mood and is eager to get to work. His self-confidence is apparent, but he’s approachable and easy to talk to. And he can’t stop singing!