Today, I talk to the one and only John Legend. John has garnered 12 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy award making him the first black man to earn an EGOT. During the course of John's career, he has released seven celebrated albums. His eighth studio album, Legend, which was released on September 9th, is out right now. John recently began the second leg of his critically acclaimed Las Vegas residency entitled Love in Las Vegas, which runs through October. And his MasterClass on songwriting has just been released. John openly shares his amazing journey as a songwriter, singer, and family man. We start the conversation with his childhood - from growing up in a Christina home, being homeschooled to transitioning into a public school and the challenges that come with it. Next, we dive deep into how community support plays a huge role in molding children outside of the home, the value of knowing what you want in life and finding the means to attain it and sticking to it, and the relentless pursuit of a career and build a family where love, care, and a safe space is prioritized. The hurdles may have been tough and the path may be unclear at some point, but John’s story is telling us to believe in what we can do and remain passionate about the things we love to do. What We Discuss:
- 00:00:00 Intro
- 00:03:07 Homeschooled
- 00:07:23 Transitioning into a public school
- 00:11:13 The strength of community support
- 00:14:21 Healing, recovery, and forgiveness
- 00:17:47 Creating stability at home
- 00:21:36 Focus on what’s important to you
- 00:29:06 Surrounding yourself with people you’re comfortable with
- 00:31:13 The truth about ego
- 00:35:19 Your partner gives the most honest feedback
- 00:39:20 Becoming a better partner
- 00:43:56 We never completely forget our trauma
- 00:47:52 Pursuing a career and building a family
- 00:51:29 Advocacy for better living opportunities for the society
- 00:54:35 What keeps you going?
- 00:56:27 Who do you want to collaborate with?
- 00:57:51 Inspiration don’t come everyday
- 01:01:08 John on Fast Five
- 01:04:47 John’s The Many Sides of Us
Episode Resources
- John Legend | Instagram
- John Legend | Twitter
- John Legend | Facebook
- John Legend | YouTube
- John Legend | Website
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