John Legend Says This Common Assumption About His Career "Annoys" Him
The Voice Coach wants to clear up this popular misconception.
As a Coach on The Voice, John Legend mentors and guides singers of all different musical genres because he has a wide range of experiences and talents himself. So don't call him a crooner! Or do, but recognize that he is so much more.
Why John Legend thinks his career is misunderstood
The full Legend oeuvre encompasses a wide variety of styles, so why is he so often pigeonholed as a love song singer?
"I feel like sometimes people think I’m just a balladeer, because my most successful songs have been ballads," Legend explained to the Dallas Morning News. He continued, "My entire body of work is pretty diverse and dynamic. That’s a misconception that annoys me just a little bit. I wish people would give my full repertoire more of a listen and appreciate the range that I’ve shown."
In 2008, Legend released his third studio album, Evolver, and as the title suggests, he purposefully pushed himself into exploring more types of music. "While there are some elements that people have heard in previous albums of mine, I also think there are some things people haven't heard from me before," he told Blues & Soul. "And I think that's what makes the album interesting. In particular I feel I've made different arrangement and production choices this time."
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Legend just entered a new genre
For the first time, the multi-talented artist (and EGOT winner) is up for a Grammy in the Children's category. "It was pretty cool and unexpected," he said of the nomination in an interview with his daughter Luna, per TODAY. He added that if he won, "It would mean that I won something for an album that I made for you guys and inspired by you guys...I think it's like the most pure love you can have, is the love you have for your family."
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The nomination is for his album My Favorite Dream, and he opened up about the sweet meaning behind his top track, "Always Come Back," telling his daughter, "I wrote it for you guys...I have to travel a lot for work, mommy has to go away for work sometimes, but we've always been telling you since you were a little baby that mommy and daddy always come back."
