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John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything", and performing as an uncredited backing vocalist on Jay-Z's "Encore" and Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name". He was the first artist to sign with rapper Kanye West's GOOD Music, through which he released his debut studio album, Get Lifted (2004). Preceded by the hit ballad "Ordinary People", the album reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Legend won three Grammy Awards from eight nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards—"Ordinary People" won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Get Lifted won Best R&B Album, and Legend won Best New Artist; the album's final single, "So High" (remixed with Lauryn Hill), was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. His second album, Once Again (2006), was met with continued success, supported by the lead single "Save Room". His third album, Evolver (2008), further diversified his sound with other genres; its funk-inspired lead single, "Green Light" (featuring André 3000), peaked within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100 and received double platinum certification by the RIAA. That same year, Legend released the live album (2008), followed by his collaborative album with the Philadelphia-based hip hop band the Roots, Wake Up! (2010).
Legend's fourth studio album, Love in the Future (2013) was preceded by the hit single "All of Me". The pop music ballad yielded his furthest commercial success; it peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, spent 23 consecutive weeks in the chart's top ten, and received diamond (14× platinum) certification by the RIAA. In 2015, he co-performed with Meghan Trainor on her single "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", which peaked at number seven on the chart. The following year, he released his fifth album Darkness and Light (2016) and parted ways with GOOD Music. Legend has since released A Legendary Christmas (2018), Bigger Love (2020)—which won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album—and his ninth album, Legend (2022).
Throughout his musical career, Legend has won 12 Grammy Awards. In 2007, he won the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Legend won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for his 2015 single "Glory" (with Common), which was released for the film Selma. He won the NAACP's President's Award in 2016. In Broadway theatre acting, Legend won a Tony Awards for co-producing the stage play Jitney (2017), and portrayed the Jesus in NBC's adaptation of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (2018). He received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his acting role, and won the award for his role as a producer of the show, making him the first Black male and second youngest recipient of all four of the major American entertainment awards: EGOT in 2018. Legend also has served as a vocal coach for the reality competition series The Voice for ten seasons since its sixteenth season in 2019. He became the show's senior coach following Blake Shelton's 2023 departure. He has served as the Chief Music Officer for the company Headspace since 2025.
In 2004, Legend stated that his parents were divorced for 12 years before reuniting. Legend was homeschooling by his mother. He began playing the piano at age 4. At the age of 7, he performed with his church choir.Statements made on "Music Live Series with John Legend". May 22, 2020. Because of his academic talent, he skipped two grades.
At the age of 12, Legend entered North High School in Springfield, Ohio, and graduated salutatorian. At the age of 15, Legend won a Black History Month essay competition sponsored by McDonald's, following the prompt "How do you intend to make Black history?" with an essay about how he intended to be a successful musician.
At the age of 16, he enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he served as president and musical director of the co-ed jazz and pop a cappella group, the Counterparts. His lead vocals on the group's recording of Joan Osborne's "One of Us", written by fellow University of Pennsylvania alum Eric Bazilian of the Hooters, received critical acclaim, landing the song on the track list of the 1998 Best of Collegiate a Cappella compilation CD. Legend was also a member of the Sphinx Senior Society, one of Penn's undergraduate senior societies, and Onyx Senior Honor Society. While at Penn, Legend was introduced to American singer Lauryn Hill by a mutual friend; Hill hired him to play piano on "Everything Is Everything", a song from her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English studies, with an emphasis on African-American literature in 1999.
In 2001, Devo Springsteen introduced Legend to Kanye West, a then up-and-coming hip-hop artist; Stephens was hired to co-write or perform hooks on several of West's songs. After signing to West's GOOD Music, Stephens chose his stage name from an idea that was given to him by poet J. Ivy, due to what he perceived as an "old-school sound". Ivy told Stephens: "I heard your music and it reminds me of that music from the old school. You sound like one of the legends. As a matter of fact, that's what I'm going to call you from now on! I'm going to call you John Legend." After Ivy continued to call him by the new moniker "John Legend", others quickly caught on, including West. Despite Stephens' reluctance to adopt a stage name, he ultimately announced his new artist name as John Legend.
Legend was featured on several records in the following years. He appeared on albums by Fort Minor, Sérgio Mendes, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, the Black Eyed Peas, Stephen Colbert, Rich Boy, MSTRKRFT, Chemistry, and Fergie, among others. Legend also tentatively recorded with Michael Jackson on a future album, for which he had written one song. In August 2006, Legend appeared in an episode of Sesame Street, where he performed the song "It Feels Good When You Sing a Song", a duet with Hoots the Owl. He also performed during the pregame show of Super Bowl XL in Detroit, and the halftime show at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.
In October 2006, Legend's second album, Once Again, was released. Legend co-wrote and co-produced the bulk of the album, which saw him returning to work with West, will.i.am and Tozer, as well as other producers including Raphael Saadiq, Craig Street, Sa-Ra, Eric Hudson, Devo Springsteen, and Avenue. Released to major commercial success, it reached number three on the Billboard 200 and debuted atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It has since received platinum certification by the RIAA, and attained gold certification in Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. At the 2007 Grammy Awards, the song "Heaven" won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, while lead single "Save Room" received a nomination in the Best Male Pop Vocal category. That same night, Legend won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for his cover of "Family Affair", a collaboration with Sly & the Family Stone, Joss Stone and Van Hunt, from the former's remix album, Different Strokes by Different Folks (2005).
In 2009, Legend performed in The People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. Also in 2009, Legend and the Roots teamed up to record a collaborative album, Wake Up!, which was released on September 21, 2010. The first single released from the album was "Wake Up Everybody" featuring singer Melanie Fiona and rapper Common.McGee, Tiffany. (July 16, 2010) First Listen: John Legend & the Roots Want You to 'Wake Up!' – The Roots, Music News, John Legend. People.com. Retrieved on May 26, 2011. In November 2010, Legend was featured on West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, listed a feature on the song 'Blame Game'. In February 2011, Legend won three prizes at the 53rd Annual Grammy Music Awards. He was awarded Best R&B Song for "Shine", while he and the Roots won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang On in There". In March 2011, Legend and the Roots won two NAACP Image Awards, one for Outstanding Album ( Wake Up!) and one for Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration.
Also in 2011, Legend completed a 50-date tour as a guest for British soul band Sade. In the San Diego performance, Legend confirmed that he was working on his next studio album and played a new song called "Dreams". Later, via his official website, he revealed the official title of the album to be Love in the Future, and debuted part of a new track called "Caught Up". The album has been executive-produced by Legend himself, along with Kanye West and Dave Tozer – the same team who worked on Legend's previous albums Get Lifted, Once Again, and Evolver. Legend has stated that his intention for the record was "To make a modern soul album – to flip that classic feel into a modern context."
Legend was granted an honorary doctorate degree from Howard University at the 144th Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Legend was a judge on the ABC music show Duets along with Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Thicke. Legend's spot was originally for Lionel Richie, who had to leave the show due to a scheduling conflict. Duets debuted on Thursday, May 24, 2012.
He released his fourth studio album, Love in the Future, on September 3, 2013, debuting number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 68,000 copies in its first week. The album was nominated for Best R&B album at the 2014 Grammy Awards. Legend's third single from the album, "All of Me", became an international chart success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and reaching the top of six national charts and the top ten in numerous other countries, becoming one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. It was ranked the third best-selling song in the United States and the United Kingdom during 2014. The song is a ballad dedicated to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, and was performed at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
In 2014, Legend partnered with the rapper Common to write the song "Glory", featured in the film Selma, which chronicled the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. The song won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song as well as the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Legend and Common performed "Glory" at the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015.
Legend was featured on Meghan Trainor's "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" from her debut studio album, which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. On February 1, 2015, he sang "America the Beautiful" in the opening ceremony of Super Bowl XLIX. He provided guest vocals on Kelly Clarkson's song "Run Run Run" for her album Piece by Piece. He also co-wrote and provided vocals for French DJ David Guetta's song "Listen", as part of the album Listen.
For the 2017 film Beauty and the Beast, Legend and Ariana Grande performed a duet on the title track, a remake of the 1991 original version sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.Dave McNary, "Ariana Grande, John Legend to Perform Title Track for 'Beauty and the Beast, Variety, January 11, 2017. In April 2017, Crow: The Legend, a short animation film, premiered its prologue at the Tribeca Film Festival. Legend was cast in the title role as the character Crow. He also served as executive producer for the project and performed the original song "When You Can Fly". The film won at thirteen different film festivals including the LA Film Festival where it made its North American premiere in 2018. The film won Best Animation VR Experience at the 2018 Raindance Film Festival and received nomination for Best Virtual Reality Production at the Annie Award.
On December 19, 2017, NBC announced that Legend had been cast in the title role in the live concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Marcy Avenue Armory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The production was broadcast live on NBC television on April 1, 2018 (the date of Easter Sunday that year in Western Christianity). On May 8, 2018, Google chose Legend as one of the six new Google Assistant voices. Legend was one of the few celebrities to appear and speak out in the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly. The six-part docuseries details sex abuse allegations spread over four decades against acclaimed R&B singer R. Kelly. It focuses on women who allege that the musician and record producer used his status and influence to sexually and physically abuse women and young girls for decades. Legend lambasted R. Kelly during his interview in the final episode of the series, asserting that "R. Kelly has brought so much pain to so many people. Time's up for R. Kelly."
In spite of numerous public allegations and controversies regarding Kelly, Legend stood as the only major recording artist willing to come forward and speak against him in the documentary. In response to fans who labeled him as "brave" for his actions, Legend stated the following on Twitter ahead of the program's debut: "To everyone telling me how courageous I am for appearing in the doc, it didn't feel risky at all. I believe these women and don't give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision." Executive producer Dream Hampton revealed that it was "incredibly difficult" to get men and women who had artistically collaborated with Kelly to come forward, including those who had criticized him. During an interview with Detroit Free Press she said, "We asked Lady Gaga. We asked Erykah Badu. We asked Céline Dion. We asked Jay-Z. We asked Dave Chappelle. They're people who have been critical of him. That makes John Legend even more of a hero for me."
On May 21, 2019, Legend was the winning coach on The Voice, and won the competition with his artist Maelyn Jarmon. In November, Legend was named People Sexiest Man Alive. In 2020, Legend was working on a seventh album. On May 13, 2020, he announced the album would be titled Bigger Love. It was released on June 19. On May 28, 2020, Legend received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. On June 19, 2020, Legend performed alongside Alicia Keys for episode fifteen of Verzuz. Legend is featured on Carrie Underwood Christmas album My Gift. Legend wrote his featured track entitled Hallelujah. Legend was among the performers in the Celebrating America television event held on Inauguration Day 2021. He delivered the commencement address to the Duke University Class of 2021. On November 12, 2021, Legend signed with Republic Records after completing the contract that lasted for 17 years with Sony Music.
In February 2022, Legend launched the music-based NFT platform, OurSong. On April 3, 2022, performed a new song called "Free" at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards as a tribute to the fallen citizens of Ukraine amid Russo-Ukrainian War. He was joined on stage alongside by three Ukrainian female artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newtown, and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk. On September 9, 2022, he released his eighth studio album titled Legend. The following month, Legend became The Voice's senior coach in its 24th season after the departure of singer Blake Shelton.
In May 2007, Legend partnered with Tide laundry detergent to raise awareness about the need of families in St. Bernard Parish (Chalmette, Louisiana), one of the areas most devastated by Hurricane Katrina; he spent a day folding laundry at the Tide "clean start" mobile laundromat and visited homes that Tide was helping to rebuild in that community. On July 7, 2007, Legend participated in the Live Earth concert in London, performing "Ordinary People". After reading Professor Jeffrey Sachs' book The End of Poverty, Legend started his Show Me Campaign in 2007. In this campaign, Legend called on his fans to help him in his initiative for residents in Bosaso Village, Somalia "A Conversation with John Legend". October 4, 2011. and non-profit organizations partnered with the campaign.
In early 2008, he began touring with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs of Columbia University's Earth Institute to promote sustainable development as an achievable goal. Legend joined Sachs as a keynote speaker and performer at the inaugural Millennium Campus Conference. Legend then joined the Board of Advisors of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), and has aided MCN programs through online support and funding fellowships for MCN summer interns through the Show Me Campaign. In 2009, Legend gave AIDS Service Center NYC permission to remix his song "If You're Out There" to create a music video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.
On January 22, 2010, he performed "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on the telethon show.Jocelyn Vena, "'Hope For Haiti Now' Telethon Airs Tonight at 8 P.M.: George Clooney, Wyclef Jean and Hollywood's biggest names help raise money for earthquake relief." MTV News, January 22, 2010, found at MTV News. Accessed January 22, 2010. On September 8, 2010, John Legend joined the national board of Teach For America. Legend also sits on the boards of the Education Equality Project, the Harlem Village Academies, and Stand for Children. He serves on the Harlem Village Academies' National Leadership Board. On September 9, 2010, he performed "Coming Home" on the Colbert Report as a tribute song for the end of Iraq War, and for the active troops and the veterans of the United States Armed Forces. In 2011, he contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to the Red Hot Organization's most recent album Red Hot+Rio 2. The album is a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot+Rio. Proceeds from the album sales were donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues. On March 6, 2012, John Legend was appointed by the World Economic Forum to the Forum of Young Global Leaders. Later that year, Legend stopped by Children's Hospital Los Angeles for a surprise visit and acoustic performance as a part of Austin Bis. On June 1, 2013, Legend performed at Gucci's global concert event in London whose campaign, "Chime for Change", aims to raise awareness of women's issues in education, health and justice. At a press conference before his performance, Legend identified himself as a feminist saying, "All men should be feminists. If men care about women's rights the world will be a better place."
In 2014, Legend founded the FREEAMERICA campaign, which aims to help reform incarceration in the United States. He also supported the 2018 ballot initiative to pass Florida Amendment 4, which restored the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions.
In 2016, Legend co-signed a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for a more humane drug policy, along with people such as Richard Branson, Jane Fonda, and George Shultz. The following year, Legend appeared on Salem State University's speaker series and was recognized by Voices Against Injustice (formerly known as the Salem Award Foundation for Human Rights and Social Justice) as the inaugural Salem Advocate for Social Justice. Also in 2017 Legend donated $500,000 to Springfield City School District to renovate an auditorium, which is named in his honor, within the Springfield Center of Innovation. He performed at the John Legend Theater on October 9, 2016. In 2018, he starred in an animated virtual-reality short film written and directed by Eric Darnell, titled Crow: The Legend, together with Oprah Winfrey, telling a Native American origin tale.Russian, Ale. "John Legend Ventures in VR with Oprah Winfrey and More in Crow: The Legend – Watch Here!", People, November 29, 2018 He also sits on the advisory board & is a financial supporter of FUSE Corps, mitigating racial inequality and breaking down barriers which contribute to racism.
In 2020, the couple were expecting a third child, but Teigen lost the baby at twenty weeks due to a pregnancy complication. The pregnancy loss was described by media as a late miscarriage; in 2022, Teigen clarified that the loss was "an abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance".
On the PBS series Finding Your Roots, it was determined that Legend's genetic makeup is 64% , 32% European, and 4% Native American.
Legend endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election.
| 2006, 2018 | Sesame Street | Himself | |
| 2007 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself | Episode: "The Bat Mitzvah" |
| Las Vegas | Himself | Episode: "Wagers of Sin" | |
| 2008 | Forest Ranger | ||
| 2009 | The People Speak | Himself | Documentary |
| 2010 | Dancing with the Stars | Himself/Performer | |
| 2011 | Royal Pains | Himself | "Listen to the Music" |
| 2015 | The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon | Himself/Performer | Performed with Meghan Trainor |
| Hollywood Game Night | Himself/Contestant | 1 episode | |
| 2015–2019 | Lip Sync Battle | Himself | 7 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | Underground | Producer | |
| 2017 | The Nightly Show | Himself | 1 episode |
| Master of None | Himself | Episode: "The Dinner Party" | |
| Himself | Episode: "Alicia Keys & John Legend" | ||
| 2018 | Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Jesus | Also executive producer |
| A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy | Himself | ||
| 2019–2022, 2023–2024, 2025 | The Voice | Himself/Coach | Season 16–22, 24–25, 27 |
| 2019 | Songland | Himself | Episode: "John Legend" |
| Ask the StoryBots | The King of Music | Episode: "How do you make music?" | |
| Celebrity Family Feud | Himself | Episode: "John Legend and Chrissy Teigen vs. the cast of Vanderpump Rules" | |
| 2020 | This Is Us | Himself | Episode: "Light and Shadows" |
| The Simpsons | Himself | Voice; Episode: "The Miseducation of Lisa Simpson" | |
| Whose Vote Counts, Explained | Himself (Narrator) | Episode: "Whose Vote Counts". | |
| 2021 | That's My Jam | Himself/Guest | Along with Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, Blake Shelton |
| 2024 | Celebrity Family Feud | Guest | Episode: "Chrissy Teigen & John Legend vs. David Chang and Deadliest Catch vs Star Trek Universe" |
| 2008 | Sesame Street: Elmo Loves You! | Himself | |
| Soul Men | Marcus Hooks | ||
| 2012 | The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America | Duke Ellington | Voice role |
| 2016 | Southside with You | Producer | |
| La La Land | Keith | Also co-wrote/performed "Start a Fire" for film's soundtrack | |
| 2017 | Crow: The Legend | Crow | Voice role, Also executive producer |
| 2019 | Himself | ||
| 2020 | A Crime on the Bayou | Executive producer | |
| 2020 | Producer | ||
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Himself | Cameo |
| 2021 | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Jim Posey | Voice role |
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