Few pop stars have been as honored as John Legend. He is one of only 22 people to have won an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award (currently 13 in total), an Oscar Award, and a Tony Award. What people see today is a global icon, but they may not know where or how this star was born.
The singer, songwriter, pianist, producer and philanthropist will perform Thursday at the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center, bringing a “night of songs and stories” to Orlando. The show paints the musician in a more intimate light, with the legend performing solo on stage to reimagined hits like “All of Me” and “Tonight.”
Throughout the performance, audiences will learn about Legend’s early life, his parents’ divorce, the story behind his name, and his time working in corporate America.
Ahead of his show in Central Florida, Legend spoke by phone with the Orlando Sentinel about his early dreams of performing in front of large audiences, his new Broadway projects, and the collaborative nature of his creative process.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What is your first memory of music?
Legend: I grew up in a Pentecostal church in Springfield, Ohio. My grandfather was a pastor and my mother directed the choir. My grandmother was a choir organist. I was literally rehearsing choir in the womb and was always going to rehearse choir with my mom as soon as she came back to church. I grew up around a lot of people making music. It has always been woven into the fabric of our lives.
Q: Have you ever imagined where that music could take you?
Legend: When I watched the Grammys, I imagined myself on TV singing and performing. When I was quite young, I was taking piano lessons. When I was about 6 or 7 years old, I was singing in the church choir. I have loved music since I was young. And when I felt like I could make a living doing it and get on TV and do it in front of a large audience, I immediately wanted to do it.
When I was 15 years old, I wrote an essay for a Black History Month contest about what I wanted to do in my life to make Black history and how I could use this platform, not just music, to make a difference in the world. It’s really wonderful to be able to realize that dream now.
Q: This special program is about sharing stories and memories from your career, right?
Legend: It’s a very intimate show. I’m the only one on stage. Talk about your upbringing. I talk about some of the challenges my family faced when my parents divorced, and my mother’s struggles with addiction and mental health at the time. I talk about how influential she was to my entire career and upbringing. Talk about the origin of your name. I’ll tell you a story about working as a management consultant for a few years and then trying to get a record deal. Some are funny, some make you cry. That’s it.
We’re not used to seeing big-name pop stars put on such stripped-down shows with little in the way of big production. I love doing it, and I’ve noticed that my fans really love being a part of it.
Q: Can you talk about your musical work?
Legend: I’m working on my new album and writing two Broadway musicals. One is “Imitation of Life,” which is an arrangement of the original book and movie, told from a unique perspective with lots of music. This is the first Broadway show for which I wrote the full score, lyrics, and music. It’s been a really fun process so I’m really excited. We’ve been talking and working on this for the past four or five years and we’re finally going to be on stage soon and we couldn’t be more excited.
Q: Is there an artist you’ve had the most fun working with over the years?
Legend: I have to point out a Floridian with whom I have worked often. That’s Rick Ross. Our voices fit really well, and our musical sensibilities fit really well. It feels like a whole album could be made just from the collaboration between John Legend and Rick Ross. I love Jay-Z. I’m a huge fan of his and it’s always an honor to work with him. On my show, I talk about how Kanye and I met and started working together and much more.
Q: How do you feel about this moment in your career?
Legend: I’m really excited about this Broadway production. I imagine doing a lot more in the future. My only regret is that I waited until I was 47 to do it. I think it’s great to be at this point in my career. I’m working on new music not only for myself but also for theater, and I’m feeling very creatively inspired. There’s so much to say and I can’t wait for it all to be revealed.
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If you go
“John Legend: A Night of Songs and Stories” will be performed March 19 at 8 p.m. at the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando). Tickets are available starting at $117.41. More information: drphillipscenter.org
