JOHN LEGEND'S EYE OPENING Speech On How To Manifest ABUNDANCE & HAPPINESS | Jay Shetty

When we first met, we were like very. attracted to each other. It was It was. our chemistry was great. But that level of attraction is more. like infatuation at the beginning of a. relationship. And love when. it is able to stand the test of time, it. has to be deeper and more like. more real than that. The best-selling. author and host The number one health. and wellness podcast. On Purpose with Jay Shetty.

Hey everyone, welcome back to On. Purpose, the number one health and. wellness podcast in the world. Thanks to. each and every single one of you that. join every week to listen, learn, and. grow. Now, I know you're here because. you're fascinated as I am about. creators' stories, people's backgrounds, walks of life, choices they made, decisions that change the trajectory of. their journey because you're trying to. make the same in your life. And today's. guest is someone that I had down as one. of the names when I first started the. show 4 years ago, nearly 4 years ago.

And it was one of those people that I. wanted to speak to because I was a fan. of his music for a long time, his. journey. And I'm grateful that today we. actually get to do this in person in my. studio at home in LA. And so, I'm. speaking about none other than one and. only John Legend, who's 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. I've. been listening to it. It's beautiful. I. can't wait for you to listen to it if. you haven't already. John recently began. the second leg of his critically. acclaimed Las Vegas residency entitled. Love in Las Vegas, which runs through. October. So, make sure you check that. out. And I'm really excited because his. MasterClass on songwriting has just. released. And if you don't already have. a Masterclass subscription, make sure.

you grab one. I first got one when Bob. Iger had his Masterclass. That's what. took me to the platform and now John. Legend has his own on songwriting. So, John, welcome to the show. Great to see. you. Great to meet you. Yeah. I'm excited for our conversation. Yeah, me too. I usually know people that. are on the show and I was like, this is. we've never met. Yeah. Uh and we've never crossed paths, you. know, and so it's always nice to. I feel like this is the best way to get. to know someone deeply and intimately is.

to do a podcast with them. When else would you have a situation. when you meet someone and you have over. an hour to talk to them and learn about. them? Yeah, when was the last time you. did that? Is there When was the last. time you sat down with someone? I don't know that it ever happens. Yeah, it's it's a blessing and it's it's. it truly is, but I I mean, I remember. being a kid in London. I remember when. we first heard your music and we're. like, who is this person? At the time I. was listening to R&B and hip-hop and rap. and then it was like, oh, this is very. different. Like this isn't you know,

it's hard to kind of pin it down into. one of those genres, but I want to dive. into your journey today as well a little. bit and I want to start with you being. homeschooled. Yeah. Uh when I when I was researching and. reading, I was like, wow, I had no idea. Yeah, I was homeschooled by my parents, uh particularly my mother. We grew up in. a very Christian home. My parents sent. us to a Christian school for a couple. years, but it was a little expensive for. them to send us to private school, but.

they still wanted us to have a very kind. of Christian education. They decided. that instead of sending us to this. Christian school, they would basically. take the curriculum from the school, use. the books uh from the school, and uh the. school had this home school liaison as. well because a lot of evangelical. Christian parents like to use this uh. this method. We would work with the. school, but my mom was our main teacher, and we were home a lot with her. Um we had, you know, friends in the. neighborhood, relatives in the.

neighborhood, but yeah, we were uh with. our parents and and at the house quite a. bit when most of our friends were going. to public school and uh being around a. bunch of other kids. What's your. strongest memory from that time or. something that you took away that has. kind of stayed with you? Because I find. that homeschooling still a fairly small. population when it comes to people who. are. big in the evangelical Christian. community. What I remember from it, you. know, I was very precocious, so I I. loved to read. I loved to independently. do whatever, you know, I would just want.

to advance past whatever I was supposed. to uh be doing at the time. I was. obsessed with like encyclopedias and. dictionaries. I ended up winning the. city spelling bee during that time. So, I was very precocious, wanted to learn. everything. My mom had a typing textbook. and I just decided I was going to learn. how to type. I was taking piano lessons. during this time, too. So, I just wanted. to learn everything and uh know how to. do everything. What What's something. that you've been trying to learn more. recently or where that mindset's kind of.

like carried through? Well, I I don't. What would you like to then? If If If. you had the time. do more master classes. I should. be a consumer more of master classes, but yeah, I haven't done that recently. I do like to read a lot and I like to. just read about how the world works. I. like to read about um policy and I'm. very interested in, you know, how to. craft a better society that's more. loving and more generous and more just. and more equitable for more people. And.

so, I like to read books that kind of. discuss some of these policy ideas and. and ways of thinking about the world. Yeah, no, that's beautiful. And it is. true, like I feel like we all get so. busy that it's hard to find time to keep. learning. Yeah, I mean I haven't. recently taken up anything where I'm. like I want to learn how to do this that. I don't know how to do. I tried to do it. with guitar for a while and then I just. got so busy that I never like stuck with. it. And uh I haven't had something like.

that recently that I've done. Maybe I. should learn another language. Yeah. Uh. my friend did some Duolingo. No, I. It worked for her. No, I'm with you, too. I I I feel like But it's fun. looking back at like what was that in. childhood that we loved and Mhm. reconnecting. good, you know, now that you brought it. up. I'm like, why haven't I, you know, picked something I want to learn about. I always thought about should I go back. to college and like take classes and. just. you just randomly take classes where. there's no pressure to get good grades, but just you want to learn something.

Yeah. Um that'd be fun. Well, that's a. beautiful point that as an adult you. actually get to go and learn something. without the pressure of it having to. like be good grades or. my mom, she's going to college right. now. She never graduated and she decided. she would just go and, you know, she's. like almost 70 years old. That's. amazing. What is What's her experience. been like? Uh she loves it. She really enjoys it. I. think it's very like stimulating for her. and you know, she doesn't work, so it's. like something to occupy her mind and to. stimulate her mind and she really is.

learning new things. That's amazing. So, you you went from being homeschooled to. then being like And obviously there's. many years in between, but being. homecoming king. Yes. And that's like. Yeah. Prom king. Prom king. Sorry, we don't. have proms in London, so you know, where. I grew up, so Yes. I always missed that. I would watch Hollywood movies and I'd. be like, why don't we get to have prom? Yeah. And so, we never did that. But. what was that experience like if then. moving from like this very specific. homeschooled culture, religious culture,

institutional culture and then. transitioning like talk to me a bit. about that transition as a young adult. or as a. So, it was interesting because at the. time the the impetus for us. transitioning into public school was our. parents getting divorced. Um and that uh the impetus for that. really was it began with my grandmother. dying. So, my grandmother was very. important in our lives. She was very. important in my mother's life and they. made music together. They ran the church. choir together and were very close. And.

when she died, it really sent my mom. into a spiral um. mental health-wise and and uh. she ended up um. abusing drugs and just really becoming. distant from our family for a while. During that period, my parents got. divorced. Our world was being shaken in. a lot of ways and one of the ways it was. being shaken is like, "Oh, now we're. going to public school after, you know, an entire, you know, 10 years of my life. where I didn't spend any time in public. school." And you know, it was quite an.

adjustment. um coming from home school. And I also, because I was so precocious, I ended up. being skipped two grades ahead because I. tested out of. um the grades I was supposed to be in. And so, I ended up starting eighth grade. at the age of a sixth grader and uh. starting high school at the age of 12. and graduating at the age of 16. So, all. of it was a bit, you know, difficult, you know, socially adjusting, adjusting.

to my parents being divorced, adjusting. to being in a public school setting when. I had never been in one before. There. were a lot of adjustments to make. That's why I'm always, you know, wary of. the idea of homeschooling kids because. the social development just isn't really. there. Um but I figured it out. So, yeah, that's what I was going to say. I think music was always my way of of. helping me find ways to connect to. people because. even though I was too shy to really. strike up a conversation in person,

I wasn't too shy to get up on stage. And once I got up on stage, it was my. way of introducing myself to people. It. was like, oh, this is me. This is who I. am. And. I didn't have to break the ice with. people because my music was my way of. breaking the ice. It was like my social. crutch, I would say, at the time. It enabled me to make friends, enabled. me to feel like some control over what I. was doing. And I think when you feel. like.

you have something you're really good. at, it makes you feel a bit more. empowered to do other things and to to. connect with other people and to feel. like you can take up space because you. feel like, oh, I have something that. I've shown everyone that I'm really good. at. I think that is such a great point. and I completely agree with you. I was a. really shy kid growing up and massively. introverted and still am to this day in. many circles, but my parents forced me. to go to public speaking drama school. Uh-huh. And so, I would go for 3 hours a.

day, 3 days a week, so 9 hours a week. all year around. It's a lot of time. And as I improved in. both those areas of my life, that's. where I'd feel at home. And now I. started to have more confidence in. different circles and you can move that. around and I was speaking to my friend. recently, one of my closest friends, his son's. like 10 years old and he was saying that. he's struggling with confidence. Mhm. And I and I said exactly what you. just said. I was like, well, have you. helped him get good at something? Yeah. I was like, you know, what is he. interested in? What's he naturally. gravitating towards that he could be.

encouraged in further. Mhm. because that would empower him as. you said. Exactly. that's such a beautiful thing because. we don't know what to validate ourselves. through when we're kids. Uh but hearing. you reflect back on it makes sense, but. I'm guessing at that time. there was a lot of stress. I mean, being. a young kid whose parents are divorcing. like like you said, like your mother's. also experiencing mental health and drug. abuse. Like, how were you making sense. of that? Like, what helped you? It was. hard to make sense of it and uh.

I part of my way of uh dealing with what. was going on with my mother was to try. to ignore it, honestly. And And so, I. would, uh, pour myself into school, pour myself. into music, pour myself into these. things that kept me busy, so I didn't. think about everything that was. happening in my family. Uh, and my dad. did a great job of, you know, helping. us, guiding us through it. We got a lot. of extended family and our community, cousins, aunts, uncles, who helped fill. in the gaps as well. And then, we had. people at school. I had a counselor, who.

he was one of the only black men that. worked at my school. And he really, like, decided to take me and my older. brother under his wing. And, um, just was. really helpful in in just. figuring out school, figuring out how to. get into college, all these other things. that my parents didn't really know how. to help us with. We just were fortunate. to have other people fill in the gap. You know, they say it takes a village to. raise a child. And I think a lot of. times when your parents aren't able to.

give you everything that you need, uh, it's good to have other people in your. life that can do it. Yeah, especially especially now, I feel. like. I feel like there's so I'm not a parent. yet, and of course you are, but it's a. there's so much pressure on two people. to be everything to these new human. beings. And what you realize is that, you know, you don't have to be everything. It's. great to have other people around you, a. village, a community. That's one of the. things that was so difficult about the.

pandemic was that. feeling that. um, you didn't have that, you know, community support that most people. normally have. That feeling of being. disconnected and and separated from a. lot of people, despite all the techno-. technological ways that you can get in. touch with them. It's nice to be in. presence with people. And I think when. people didn't have that, we're seeing. the results of it with a lot of kids. learning loss and and falling behind in.

school and there's a lot of things that. you just can't do remotely that you need. that community support to do. Yeah, no, absolutely. I want to I want to give a. shout out to our community for staying. with us through the pandemic because for. me sitting with someone like this. face-to-face. even for an interview, it's like the. connection that you have with someone as. opposed to through a screen, it's just. incomparable. It's It's different and. we we made the most of what we had to do. during that time, but clearly it's. preferable to be in person and I think.

particularly for kids as they're trying. to learn, they need that. Yeah, did you. have to you said then I think you're so. right like as kids we we ignore stuff. like that. We try and avoid it. We try. and you know, we have to we and I loved. what you said you poured yourself into. your music. You poured yourself into. school and that's why outlets artistic. outlets are so fantastic to have as. young people. Did you ever have to. revisit it? Did you feel like it. naturally just improved there were. changes or did you ever have to revisit. that as an adult to be like. do I did you ever feel the need for any.

healing or did you feel that just. naturally kind of. came to a place. Well, we needed to heal. We needed to. forgive. our mother because we felt. abandoned by her. Wow. She eventually. got sober, came back to her family. She. healed in a lot of ways as well and. you know, recovered in a lot of ways and. we still had to deal with forgiving her. though because I think when. you feel let down by your parent, part.

of what you need to do for your own. growth. is figure out how to forgive them and. how. to love them and not be held back by. whatever resentment or anger or. disappointment you might feel because if. you continue to hold on to it, it. actually hinders you. as much or more than it hinders anyone. else, the person that maybe the object of your. forgiveness, that's great to forgive. them, but it's just as important for.

you, because that's the best way for you to. go on and live the best life that you. can live is to get that weight off of. your shoulder. that you're holding on to. And it's. always hardest doing that with our. parents because when we're young, you. kind of see them as the person who's. meant to be the caregiver and the safety. Yeah, and I think the letdown is is. bigger Yeah, it's dramatic because you. expect them to, you know, they're. supposed to have all the answers, they're supposed to do the right things, they're supposed to show you the way to. do it. And then when they when we.

realize they're not infallible and and. then they fall from grace in our eyes, I. think the disappointment is even. greater. Yeah, but I love that point. you're making that. there's there's two sides and you got to. experience the beauty of your mother's. growth and. transformation and change, but it's like. that person's like, "I'm back." Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're like, "Oh, okay." You don't know. like you've gotten used to dealing with. not being with them and not having them. in your life. And my parents got. remarried during this time and that was.

weird. Um, so it was like a lot of dealing with. all those feelings, dealing with. forgiveness, wondering how to adjust to having that. person back in your life. Um, all of. that. It was it was very interesting. Yeah, mine was kind of the the opposite. where like I was encouraging my parents. as a 10-year-old to get a divorce. So, I. was seeing and experiencing and they. would both tell me about what was going. on and I'd be like, "I think you guys. should separate because I want you both.

to be happy." Yeah. And we'll be happy. And then they stayed together until like. 3 years ago. Okay. They they never. separated until now. And I feel like. they're so much happier and fulfilled. because of it, but they were thinking. they were staying together for the kids. Yeah. And and as a kid, I was like, "No, no, no, no, no." Like, I don't think. this is Yeah. Well, yeah. I I think when my parents. got divorced. both times, it was the right thing. They. got divorced twice, so they're not. together now. My dad's remarried, and my. mom hasn't, but uh.

both times I think it was the right. thing to do. I wasn't actively. encouraging it when I was younger. Uh. it was traumatic for me when I was. younger. Um but um it was the right thing to do. Yeah. How are you finding that now being. a parent yourself? Like, what are the. what are the parts of this journey that. kind of influence your approach now. because you are aware that we are not. perfect any one of us. Yeah, I'm aware we're not perfect, but I. I I do feel I think Chrissy and I both.

really believe in the idea of creating. like stability in our home for our kids, showering them with love and. encouragement, teaching them about what. it means to be kind, what it means to be. loving, what it means to be generous, what it means to be passionate about. something and pursue it. Um all of those things we want for them, and we want them to see in us a loving. relationship um that teaches them what. love is supposed to feel like and what. it's supposed to be like. I want us to.

be. a great example of what love means for. them. and how they should expect a partner to. treat them, how they should treat their. partner. I want to be a good example for. them, and I think Chrissy does, too. And um yeah, I don't want to get. divorced. I know that. Yeah, yeah, of. course. Like, I I really truly, you. know, and. you've come from a situation where. you're like, "Well, they should have. gotten divorced. It's the right thing. for them to do." But But I also I'm. like, "Oh,

I really. want a stable home for our kids, and I want them to. be surrounded by love and to see in us. an example of what love means. And. hopefully we can maintain that for. decades and decades to come. Like I want. us. Absolutely. to be grandparents having. them over for Sunday dinner and like I. want that for us. Yeah, I wish that for. you, too. Definitely, that's beautiful. And and I I don't disagree with you. I. think the point you made there is so. clear that you want what stability.

means. And I think what sometimes I. don't know recognize is staying together. is unstable. Sometimes it is. Yeah. Uh but there's always going to be. some instability instability, of course, but I think that's the challenge. Like. we usually see togetherness as stability. and breaking up as instability, but. often if two people are together, but. it's causing more stress for everyone. else. That's true. And there's definitely. circumstances like that. Uh God forbid. that happens to us. I No, no, no, of. course. Yeah, yeah, no, no, definitely.

No. And and by the way, it's so. interesting what you're saying cuz I. literally just spoke to we I just. interviewed uh Dr. Gabor Maté and he's. like a. a healing and trauma expert and and. researcher. He's like in his 70s, I. think, right? Like. And so he's been doing this his whole. life like looking at trauma, looking at. addiction, looking at children. And he. literally just said what you just said. where he's like, "You can't love your. kids too much." Like, you know, giving. them a safe, loving environment. And I. think for a long time I confused love. and safety. Mhm. And and I realized like.

safety was really what you needed as a. child. Yes, you really do. Yeah, I. really truly believe that. And we want. to have them feel safe and surrounded by. love and care. Um it doesn't mean you don't want to. allow them to make mistakes. Um but you do want them to feel like. they can make mistakes in safety. Yeah. And I think. um. uh when people feel unsafe, uh it contributes to fear, contributes. to trauma,

uh and a lot of things that make uh. their responses unhealthy as they get. older because. uh if they're dealing with so much fear. and danger in their lives, it affects. the way they respond to stimuli, it. affects the way they deal with fight or. flight and all these things that kind of. these mechanisms that your body has to. deal with trauma and and fear. Like if. they get activated too much, then it's. hard for them to cope with life. Yeah, absolutely. When when someone's as.

exceptional as you are at at what you. do, I want to hear about like what was the. hardest part about getting that good? Like what was the When was it. challenging to pick up an instrument or. or learn an element of music? Like what. was the. Was there ever or did it just Was it. just so natural and effortless. that it's always been that way? Well, there's always effort and I think part. of it is like figuring out what you want. to specialize in, what you want to do. really well. Like I play the piano.

pretty well, but I'm not like an expert. concert pianist. Like I've seen what. they can do and I can't do it. And. I got good enough at the piano to. accompany myself, to accompany others, to write and to perform live, but people. that focus on playing the piano are much. better at playing the piano than I am. What I've chosen to focus on is being. the best singer-songwriter that I can. be. So I spend a lot of time focusing on.

my voice, focusing on songwriting. So. those are the the two most important. things for me and those are the things. that I spend the most time and energy. on. And it's not easy to write songs and. it doesn't come automatically, but I've developed ways of getting. getting to that point where I'm pretty. good at writing a song. And. even my worst songs are pretty good. That didn't come automatically though. It came through like just writing a lot, listening to a lot of music, but also.

writing a lot of music, and trying. different ideas, seeing them work, and. collaborating with other people who. push me and bring out the best in me and. give me new ideas. All of that made me a better writer, but. it wasn't easy and it wasn't automatic. Yeah, there's often a perception that. people have. that the way you write songs or whatever. is that when someone's going through. emotional turmoil,

their artistic expression is heightened. Mhm. And then when their external. circumstances are less stressful, it can. be harder to find creativity. Is that. true? Is that accurate? Or have you. found that you can always or you have a. method to always tap it? Because your. songs are like your lyrics are highly. emotive. Your your songs are about real. issues in your life. It doesn't matter. whether your external life has changed. How have you continued to be able to. access that? Because I think some people. think, "Oh, well, my life was hard. I. wrote my best music." Yeah.

my external life is simpler, cuz there's. no easy life, my external life is. simpler, I kind of find it harder to. access. I've. gotten so um experienced at writing. that I. can turn it on pretty much. at any point. But one of the ways I do. that is by bringing other people in the. room. Right. And so that way, you're not. always relying on your own inspiration, um which may be hard to summon.

sometimes. Um and I think because I've. been such a uh promiscuous collaborator, um it enables me to stay refreshed as as. a creative person because. even if I don't immediately have an. idea, I could be in the room with someone who. does, and then I can bounce off of that, build on that, and we can create. something together. And then also have. quite a bit of methodology around my. songwriting that makes it easier for me. to tap into my creativity and tap into.

that inspiration. So that when I have. it, I'm able to go from inspiration to. completion in a way that's tried and. true for me. And that's what I spend a. lot of time on in the masterclass is. just explaining, you know, like this is. my methodology for writing a song. The. inspiration's going to come from. different places. Sometimes it comes. just from I dream about a song and I. sing it into my phone and. and remember it that way, record it for. later and then go to completion when I. when I go back to the studio and like I.

sit down to write. But either way, the. inspiration's going to come at some. point. Sometimes it's just a riff that. somebody else plays or a beat that. someone else plays and then it leads me. into a vocal melody and a vocal melody. leads me into like a feeling of like. this is what this song feels like to me. This is what the story is that I want to. tell and then I know how to build a song. pretty easily from those kind of seeds. of ideas. And um. yeah, that's what I spend a lot of time. on in the masterclass is just teaching.

that once you get this seed of an idea, here's how you take it to a complete. song. And it works really well for me. because. it makes it so that I can write. once I have the idea, write pretty. quickly. Yeah, and I think I I want to. unpack that for everyone because I think. from anyone that I've sat down with who. I believe is extreme highly extremely. high performing in their space, obviously everyone on a masterclass is. at that level in their field. And then. when I've sat down with people like Kobe. Bryant as well or like.

Novak Djokovic or Jennifer Lopez, it's. like everyone always talks about this. balance with what you're saying. perfectly is like there's inspiration. and then there's regulation. Mhm. There's like actual methods, Yeah. processes, structure. It's like we all. think that there's a magic moment, Mhm. which it sounds like there is, Yeah. but then that magic needs to turn. into a method. Yes. in order to actually turn into something. beautiful. Absolutely. And and the. people that you were referring to like. Kobe, he was so naturally gifted. So, he he. had this God-given gift to be.

this amazing athlete, but. he took the gift, which some people have. and don't maximize it like he did. He. took that gift and worked so hard, practiced so hard, spent so much time in. the gym. Like. there needs to be more to your. your ability than this natural ability. It needs to be cultivated, it needs to. be honed, it needs to be practiced. And. with songwriting, I've gotten to that point where.

it's not just, "Oh, I have a gift for. music. Oh, I can sing. Oh, I have a good. ear." It's, "Oh, I've spent a lot of. time honing my craft as a songwriter, and it helps me. figure out how to take this idea and. make it a song that works." Yeah, and I. love how everyone's different. Like, I. completely agree with you. Like, when. I'm doing this, it's like even though. I'm not in the same field as you, you. could say something. I'm like, "Oh, that's I need to do more of that.". I think I mean and when you when Kobe. passed,

I spent a lot of time just thinking. about. just like what it takes to be someone. like him, and I think it really inspired. me. It's like, you really like if you. want to be great, if you want to be like. world-changingly great at something, you. got to put in the time and energy to do. that. And it can be inspiring to see. examples of that in the world and then. say, "Yeah, I want to be more like. that." Yeah, well, even when you're. giving the example of when you're in the. studio and you're bringing people in, like, for me the podcast is like that. Like, I sit down with people that I'm. not in the field of a tool,

Yes. and I get to hear I'm like, "Oh, that's how they do it in their field. How can I apply that. Yes. to mine?" And I think that's what. Masterclass does great, but cuz we had. Russ on, the rapper, Mhm. and he was. talking about the opposite where he was. like, "I don't like having anyone in the. room with me, because if people are in. the room with me, then I don't get to be. silly or I don't get to be totally. expressive. So he'll be He said to us, he was like, "I get rid of everyone and. then I make weird sounds into the. microphone to see what works for me. Whereas if my boys were there," he was.

saying, "if my boys were there," he was. like, "they'd all laugh at me.". And so I'm wondering who do who do you. like having around you? Like could you. give us an example of some people that. you've sat with that you're like. and they don't have to be even people. that we know, they could be other people. behind the scenes, but someone that. you're like, "Oh yeah, when they're in. the room, they kind of spot me this way. or that way." Well, I I take his point. as saying you don't want people around. that aren't. totally bought in creatively because you. want people in the room that are in. there to create something beautiful with.

you and if they're there to be like your. kind of. What my sense is, I don't know him and. and I don't know his friends, but what. I'm my sense is that he's saying like. he might want to be too cool around. them. Yes. too cool around them, he may not come up. with the best art. And I think it's. important to have I don't have random. people in the studio when we write. Like. I have only writers in the studio and. then we just sit there and vibe off of. each other and and see where the vibe.

takes us and hopefully everybody's. bought in to the idea that we just want. to make something amazing and something. beautiful and something interesting and. something that's a great song and. they're not worried about being cool, not worried about anything else other. than let's make this great. That idea of. being around people that you're okay to. make mistakes around, be fearless. around. Like that's the kind of people. you want in the room. And we just try things and I try not to. have an ego about my ideas. So that.

means if like I. I do a thing called a mumble track. usually where I just mumble a melody and. see if we like it. And some of the other writers in the. room may do the same thing and I'm like, "Oh, I like their idea better than. mine." And I think you need to have that. openness to other people's ideas, that. humility when you're a collaborator. And so, I think part of what I'm really. good at is that spirit of collaboration. So, I understand that all the great. ideas don't need to come from me and.

that. um. I can benefit from this other energy and. creativity in the room and be open to. it, you know? Be humble enough to. receive it and not think that it all has. to come from me. Yeah, ego-lessness is. hard though. Like that's like especially. as you become more successful. Like I. think that's something people struggle. with because you have to trust yourself. to some degree. So, how did you Well, I. think so. It's what the interesting. thing about ego is like the people that. you think of that have big egos are also. very insecure. So, it's like. um.

it's very interesting thing about that. combination of. the inflated ego. and. the heightened insecurities at the same. time. And it can be very debilitating. when that's the issue because a lot of. times when you hear, "Well, this artist, whenever they come, they won't let you. look at them, they won't this and that.". And what I hear when I hear that is not, "Oh, they think so much so highly of. themselves." I think, "Oh, they're. pretty insecure, probably.".

And so, it's interesting thinking about. that and what that means and what the. kind of I don't know what the. psychology is behind that, but it's an. interesting combination that I've. observed in the world is that people. that are seen as having big egos and. being difficult to work with are also. usually pretty insecure. Exactly. I. think you're spot on. When I started the. show, when I started interviewing. people, I noticed that too where there. was natural social anxiety. and a lot of people were just so used to. being on when the camera was on that. that's when they came in a full force.

But then when the camera was off, it's. not that they didn't care, it's that. they didn't even know how to connect. because they've been so trained in that. way. And so you're right. I think it's. so interesting that from the outside we. can be like, oh that person has an ego. or they're being arrogant or they you. know, they have a. they're bragadocious or they have a. bravado, but it's not that. It's Yeah, my assumption is that they're probably. insecure. That's usually my assumption. Yeah, yeah. No, that's well said. I'm. going to give you a bit of context. before this next question because I I. So, my wife, we've been married for 10.

years now. Sorry, married for six, we've. been together for 10 years. And she my. team was looking at the other day and. she was reading a book. And they were like, oh what are you. reading? Cuz she'd taken the cover off. and they couldn't tell. And she was. like, oh I'm reading my husband's book. Like as in my book which I wrote 2 years. ago. No, 2 and 1/2 2 years ago. And they were like, what have you not. read it? Like most of my team's read the. book and she hadn't. And they were like, no no she was like, no I never got. around to it, you know, I've read bits. So like So, my question is I heard. Chrissy said something similar where. like she sees the name of a song and.

then she's like wondering like wait a. minute, how did he call that the name of. the song? Like is she your number one. fan? Does she listen to everything? Or. or do you often find that like she's. catching up with everyone else? Well, she doesn't love hearing like demo. versions of songs. So, she doesn't like. to kind of be in the sausage making part. of the album. And so she'd rather hear it once. everything's done. And so that ends up. meaning that she's like learning about.

things when, you know, close to when a. lot of other people are learning about. them, too. Um and so yeah, there are. times when she's like, oh, news to me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I But she she just. doesn't like to be in early on the. process because she's found, I think. from when we first started dating that. when she fell in love with the demo. versions that we changed them so much. that she didn't like, you know, um kind of falling in love with the. early versions because it kind of almost. disappointed her when the finished. version was out because she felt like.

less connection to it. Oh, wow. So, she decided she would just didn't. want to be involved early on in the. sausage making. Well, she has good. reasoning. My wife just didn't have time. for me, but. but I I find that's interesting in. couples, right? The idea of like we were. talking about being a good example as a. couple and trying to build that loving. relationship. Like I find that in an. immature stage in my relationship, I. constantly wanted my wife to be my. number one fan. Uh-huh. Like I There was. a time where I was like, "I want her to. read everything and listen everything.

and watch everything and share. everything." And like this I'm talking. about like maybe like 7-8 years ago. And then as time went on, I just started. to realize I was like, "Well, she's not. with me for those things, right?" Like. she can support them and appreciate. that. Sure. But she's living with the real me. and is experiencing that. Like. I guess my question is like how do. couples appreciate and admire each other. in an effective way when often we just. lean on our partner for validation and. glorification often. Yeah. I still really want Kristy to be.

into my work. it. And and and I think more so because like. it just feels good uh. to know that she has good taste and and. she loves music and that she likes. something I did. Like, you know, I'm. like, "That's awesome." And I want her. to love it and I respect her a lot and I. trust her a lot. And I feel like she has. good taste. So, if she likes something I. did and she especially likes it, then. that's a really good sign for me. Yeah, yeah. Uh so, it feels good. Like.

it's not that I'm insecure about it. It's that like I really want her to love. it. And I want everyone to love it, but. I want her to love it more. I know, I'm the same. I was I was doing. something recently, but but my wife's. also the person that will give you the. most honest feedback. Yes. Like I will practice a presentation or. whatever I'm doing in front of uh and. she will just pick it apart, but I know. she's doing it out of love cuz she also. wants me to be incredible at what I do. And we help each other so much uh and we. believe in in each other and we support. each other so much. So, you know, when.

she's working on a cookbook, I'm you. know, helping her. I'm tasting stuff. I'm doing whatever I can to help. And. you know, we collaborate on a lot of. business things together. So, there's a. lot we do together. But she doesn't like. to be in in the weeds of my music. creating. career. But she goes a lot of my shows. She always has feedback for Yeah. Um you. know, how we can put the show together. better, be more effective. you know, the set list and arrangements.

and different things like that. She has. ideas about how it should look and she's. giving me great feedback over the years. on that kind of stuff. So, I'm always. happy when she's proud of me and when. she's excited. That's when you know, I. feel very like okay, we're doing. something right here. Yeah, no, I feel that I can relate to. that too. Like I'm like if I do. something and my wife's happy, it's a. different it's a different form of. happy. Like my Vegas show like I'm so proud of. it, but. it was especially. good for me to hear that she was so.

proud of it. And and so. excited to show her friends and you. know, tell people about it cuz that just. it was like. it's an an extra good feeling when when. she says that. Yeah, definitely. No, I relate and I I. think the question came from I think it. was when she said something about when. she saw the song title. I don't love you like I used to. love you like I used to. And that's an interesting song. It's a good song. because it's like. when you go through things together, you.

learn more about each other. You grow. and it's not the same kind of love you. had when you first met. When we first met, we were like very. attracted to each other. It was It was. our chemistry was great. But that level of attraction is more. like infatuation at the beginning of a. relationship and love when. it is able to stand the test of time, it. has to be deeper and more like.

more real than that. We've been through. enough together where it's like really. fortified us and made us stronger and. those tests have made us grow together. and and. you know, realize things about each. other that we didn't know and going. through all of that makes you be able to. write and sing a song called I don't. love you like I used to. It's it's. different now, but it's better. Yeah, yeah. I love I love that song cuz I I. felt the same way. I was just like that.

is such a great title because you're. like, oh no, what's going on? And then. you're like, no, actually it's true. And. I think the challenge with love is that. we we've been programmed to believe that. it should stay the same. We've been. programmed to believe that you should go. recreate your first date. And everything. should feel like your first date. And. it's almost like, well, what if it got. better? You know, what if there's more? What were you like when you met Chrissy. and how have you evolved you think as a. as a man, as a human, as a person? Like. what what is evolved and grown about you. in a positive way? Well, I think I was. more selfish then.

Like I wasn't a great partner at the. beginning of our relationship even. though I was very into her and and. very excited to be with her. Like I was. still selfish. I was in my, you know, mid-20s. Still like, you know, not ready to fully be like the committed. partner that I am now. But, you know, once you really. figure out that you love someone and. you're really like love so much about.

them and you really want to make it work. with that person, like you have to. decide like I'm going to do the things I. need to do to be a good partner in this. relationship and I've just grown. uh, a person because of that, too, because when you stop being so selfish, when you think about not only the joy. you get from a situation and the. pleasure you get from it, but also think. about your responsibility and your. commitment in that situation, I think.

you just grow and you mature and that's, you know, I think part of it's just a. matter of time. You need time to become. that person that you want to be. Thinking in your mid-20s, you're still. dealing with impulse control, you're. still dealing with selfishness, you're. still figuring out what you want to do. in your career. All these things are. happening, but, um, when you figure those things out, you. can just be a better person in general. And I think it makes you better at other. things, too, when you're. when you're able to understand that. balance between what you're trying to.

get from a relationship, but also what. you need to give to make it work. Yeah. What What did you think that you didn't. value about her in the beginning, but. today like, you're like, "Oh, I noticed. that more now." Like, I I I didn't even. get that at that time because of my. immaturity or earliness? Well, I I feel. like I've just learned so much about her. personality, how she reacts to stress, how she reacts to life, how she can find. a joke even in like the craziest, even. in grief, like she's able to find humor.

And like, I feel like you see. so many things about your partner as you. grow together and as you experience. adversity together. And what I've seen. from her has just made me love her more. and value her more. Uh, like I think she's cooler now than I've. ever thought she was. Like, I just. really. have seen her in. all kinds of situations. I just value. her more and and and and and all of her. more than I ever have been. That's.

beautiful. That's great. I I I wish the. same for my marriage, too. It's uh It's. definitely going to be a. honestly. I I love love. I went to two. weddings this weekend. Oh, wow. Okay. and like, I truly like I can. I when I'm at these weddings like I. genuinely get emotional and I genuinely. feel like joy for this couple in in. embarking on this journey together and I. love celebrating that. I love um seeing. it flourish and and seeing people who.

are committed to each other make it. work. Like I love it. Yeah. No, me too. I love love too. I've. just written a whole new book about. love. It comes out next year, but it's. like I I officiated two weddings in the. last 12 months. Uh-huh. And the difference the pressure. and the honor of doing that my whole. thought process in my head is don't cry. Mhm. Don't cry cuz I love love so much. and all I want to do is like cry and. just like appreciate the moment. I'm I. haven't had to officiate any weddings. and I've I've sung at quite a few. Yeah, I can imagine. But uh yeah, I would I got emotional.

this week and and I think part of it is. being a dad too now because. uh when I watch uh dad walk her down the. aisle, I got super emotional. I was just. thinking about my daughter and thinking. about my son and just thinking about, you know, just what it means to pour all. this love into these little people and. and then to watch them grow up and and. experience life and find love. Uh it was.

beautiful. That's amazing. I love that. I love that. And on you mentioned grief. and then you. uh the song Pieces in the new album. There's there's the beautiful lyric. heart learn to live in pieces. Mhm. And I just I literally just haven't. stopped thinking about that because I. think that there's so much about us. that's constantly trying to get. everything to fit. Mhm. And even with a. heart we're trying to become whole. again. Like there's always that concept, but you're like let your broken heart. learn to live in pieces. Like where did.

that come from? Like that idea. idea of the song is that. we never completely shed or forget this. trauma that we may go through in life, this loss, this heartbreak. Like, we'll. remember it. There'll be times when. we'll feel those pangs of of memory and. that it'll come back. Um it doesn't mean you can't heal, it. doesn't mean you can't recover, but it. does mean that that grief will will. still be a part of who you are, a part. of your story.

Effectively recovering from that means. not forgetting it, not that it didn't. happen, but learning to live with it and. learning to continue. to live with it and and and experience. life and joy and pain and all the things. that come in life afterwards, um continue to like. live on. Yeah. Um despite the fact that. this grief won't ever leave you. completely. Yeah, it's almost it's. almost like we're asking the wrong. question. We're always like, "How do I. move on? How do I get over this?".

Mhm. And you're saying, "Well. saying you're going to I'm saying you're. going to carry it. It's it's part it's. part of your life now, it's part of your. story, part of who you are. Like I said with Chrissy, like I've seen. so much growth. through our grief and through our. tragedy. It's always going to be part of who we. are and. I'm fine with that. Like, it's part of. who we are. It's we carry it with us and. it and it's okay. Yeah, and that and I'm. sorry for your loss and I'm you know,

that. I mean, I don't think there's pretty. much anything harder to go through than. than what you went through. I I've never been through anything. harder, but it just means, you know, when you live long enough, you're going. to go through something like that. Uh. and. figuring out how to continue to live as. you carry that with you Yeah. is um is what the song's really about. Yeah, and often we find that those. traumatic and difficult experiences can. break people apart, but you you you. focus on growing closer together. What.

what do you think is that difference? Like, you your values are so clear. I. can tell in this interview. I'm like. values of children, of family, of love, of kindness, of connection. Like how do. you in moments like that? Is it that. your values just drive you forward or. like how do you make sure because I. think sometimes people just have. experiences that derail their everything. else that's going right? Yeah. And I. don't know because like I think part of. it is just we are we were already on a. great foundation where we really. respected and loved and enjoyed being.

with each other, respect each other's. values and the ways, you know, like well the things that we saw in each. other's character that we fell in love. with were still there. But I think you. also have to like commit to. working through pain, you know? Um and I think we both committed to. doing it, like doing the work that we. needed to do to get through it. Yeah. No, I'm happy to hear that and, you. know, my prayers and Thank you. good. wishes are with you and the family. because. And I think having. already had two kids together was.

um definitely helpful because. they just bring so much joy into our. lives and and laughter and. fun and they they're great focus for our. energy. And so even when you're going. through deep grief of on losing a. pregnancy, you still have these two. beautiful babies that you love and I. think that was certainly helpful. Yeah. Now now the questions are moving into a. selfish space where I'm asking them just. for me now. So how have you managed like what have.

you know, you've obviously have this. beautiful relationship. You got you got. two beautiful children that you both. love. And, you know, when I think about. me and my wife, like we also spend a lot. of time saying, "Look, let's stabilize. our relationship first before we think. about having kids because we don't want. to invite beautiful new souls into a. relationship where we're not sure where. we're going or or how we're working. together." How have you managed to be. so career-focused and successful and. keep a relationship successful with this. because I find a lot of people having.

children can be the most stressful time. of their life, right? It's It's stressful. I mean, first of all, we're very. fortunate. We have lots of people around. us to help us. We can afford, you know, child care. We can afford a lot of. things that there are plenty of families. that can't afford. Having that is no. small thing. Like those having help, having my mother-in-law around, having, you know, grandparents around to help is. like all these things are very helpful. and they alleviate some of the stress.

and make it easier for parents to. balance it. But yeah, I do think you. have to be ready uh. to take on that responsibility. I think. um a lot of times, you know, it's about. figuring out is it the right time in. both of your careers to do it? Um. particularly for the woman, like it can. be very difficult to figure out when. that can be because. uh particularly in America, we don't. have a lot of leave that's available for. uh maternal or paternal leave that's. available for a lot of families. Um and. there's all kinds of.

obstacles in the way that make it harder. for people to um be working parents. Uh. and so, I think a lot of people are. making decisions about when to have kids. based on that and that's a real like. practical consideration that needs to be. uh figured out um for you to be able to. handle it because a lot of the stress. around parenting is around having the. resources and the child care that you. need. And when that's not right, it can. be stressful. It can be stressful on. your marriage. It can be stressful on so.

many other things. And so, um yeah. It. and and and my prescription that all. those things need to be in order is like. a hard prescription to fill though. because it's like it takes resources. It. takes family. It takes, you know, everything being aligned and and. everything's not going to be perfect uh. for so many families. And they're still. going to want to bring a life into the. world, and um. and yeah, it's it's a challenge. Yeah, no, absolutely. And I think those. things changing, I mean, yeah, when I.

was I was born and raised in London, and. so when I worked there, like the. maternity leave and the paternity leave. was was fantastic. I mean, it could be. even better, but it was great. It was. like at least 6 months, and then you. could extend for another 6 months if you. needed it, and it was And not to be. nerdy, but like these are policy things. that can affect people's decisions. Yeah. You know, we're having a lot of. conversation around reproductive rights, and and whether the state can force. people to have kids, and what I think. our conservative.

fellow citizens should realize is that. people sometimes would like to have. kids, but they're not in a place to be. able to afford it or take care of it. And so if there are policy. solutions like child tax credits, free. child care, that would make it more likely choose to. have kids. And. I think. there's so many families that could use. that kind of support, and I I feel like one.

way that we could come together, conservatives and progressives, is say. if you really believe in this idea that. families are important as like a. foundation for our society, and you want. to do things to support people having. children in their lives and and building. families, like one way to do that is. make sure they have the resources. to to make that choice in a way that. they can handle it and their family can. handle it. Yeah, is that one of the. areas that you've been focused on as you.

were speaking about earlier with has. that been an area of focus for you? Well, there's something I think about. all the time, so I think about it when. it comes to our schools, making sure our. schools have the resources that they. need, making sure our communities have. the resources they need. And it's it's. kind of the impetus behind my entire. political kind of. inclination is how do we make our. society more livable, more loving, more. just, more. equitable, and how do we. support folks who don't have the.

resources they need right now? How do we. make sure they get those resources? And. so, a lot of times. my work has been about the criminal. justice system, but what I like to do is. point out the choices that we make. around. criminal justice and. how they are resource choices as well. They're more interconnected. Yes, they're more connected because. because when we spend so much of our. societal energy and resources and. budgets on policing and locking people.

up, that necessarily precludes us from. investing that money in other things. And so, my. advocacy work has really been around. let's invest in these things that are. edifying, that are building, that are. productive, that are loving, that are. just, and. not invest as much as we have in. the things that are more destructive and. more about the state monopolizing force.

and violence. through policing and jailing people. Yeah, thank you so much for going nerdy. on us. It was good. We we had to lay it. out. No, it's important. I you know, I I. think it's I think it is important to. see the interconnectedness of a a value. of. you know, family man, children, and then. how that actually scales up to an. economy and a society because we can. have these in our small units, but it. needs to change at a And I get into. arguments, you know, with with friends. of mine who are I'm close with and you.

know, they'll. they'll see these news stories about. crime going up and robberies going up. and and and they'll always kind of. default to well, we just got to punish. people more, like make them scared to do. these kinds of things and what I'm. always thinking about is well how do we. create a society where. just less of that is happening? How do. we create a society where people are. healthier, they have the resources they. need, they're not. homeless, they're not. addicted to drugs, and when they are.

they're being treated and not punished. Like how do we create a society society. like that? And then a lot of these. issues with violence and with uh. property crimes and all these other. things, they'll go down if we're. investing in the kind of preventative. measures that would. make us healthier in general. Yeah, absolutely. You were speaking about, you. know, the journeys of people like from. everyone that you were homeschooled. around or in your community, like the. journey that you've taken is that I'm.

guessing obviously that's very unique. It's very different. Uh when you when. you look back on your life now, it's. like A what's there like what keeps you. going? And when you look back, what do. you look back at and go. that was really special and that was. beautiful and and that was something. that I'll always cherish. What keeps me. going? Well, part of it is just the joy. I get from creating new things. Um it's a very like amazing sense of. gratification. that you get when you walk into a room.

and nothing exists. except, you know, loose ideas in your. head and then a few hours later like you. walk out with this new thing that. exists. It's a song. And like that song. could be the one that changes your life. It could mean something to all kinds of. other people. I I just. at the wedding I I went to one of the. weddings I went to this weekend, some. guy said I went to your show and it. actually saved my marriage. And like I. could be writing that song that saves.

someone's marriage. tomorrow. And the fact that I get to go. to work and create something brand new. that didn't exist before is such a joy. and I truly. like I want to do it all the time. That keeps me going. And then. being on stage is really exciting for me. and fun. I love the connection I feel. with the audience. I love when the show. just feels like. everybody's clicking on all cylinders. We're doing this together. We've got. band members, dancers, singers.

Everybody came together to put this show. on and we get it right and we feel the. energy from the crowd and we feel the. love from the crowd and we're giving it. to them, they're giving it back. And we feel this connection and this. chemistry, this energy that we're all. creating together. I love it. I truly love it and I want to. do it as long as as long as people will. listen to me. I I think I think that's going to be a. long time, Sam. What Who's someone that you spoke about. collaborations? Who's someone that's no. longer with us that you would have loved.

to have collaborated with in person or. that you think could have like brought. something out of you that Nina Simone. I'm a big Nina Simone fan. I named my. daughter Luna Simone after her and and I. um. I've always loved her artistry and. I would just love to jam with her. It. would be so fun. She's such a great. musician and has such a cool approach to. arranging songs. She always did such. interesting covers of songs, too. Like. she would do like the definitive cover. of so many songs just because her.

musicianship and her point of view is so. interesting. I would love to just soak. in that for a little while. Yeah. And. what about someone who's alive that you. haven't collaborated with yet? Someone. that you. find inspiring in any field of music or. anything? Uh Kendrick Lamar. I love I. just went to see his show. No, he's like I've worked with almost. every rapper in in history. But uh Kendrick, I'm truly a fan of and. I went to go see his show this weekend. and. love his new album. Love all of his. albums. I just think the level of. artistry and care that he puts into.

everything is just so impressive. He's. one of my favorite artists in any genre. right now. I think he's just incredible. I love that. When when you're working on. an album like how much. Because you're someone who who works. consistently on an album for a long. amount of time before it comes out, right? Like there's not always new music. all the time. What kind of in that creative process, like how do you stay inspired in the ups. and downs and the ebbs and flows of a. long creative process, which is rare.

nowadays? Like when you talk about. someone like Kendrick, right? Like. everyone talks about Kendrick as someone. who work on an album for a couple of. years, which used to be the norm and. it's rare. Yeah. It's still the norm for me. Like. Yeah, that's what I mean. Yeah, so Yeah, I feel like making an album is about a. 2-year process for me and I try to put. them out every 2 or 3 years, but you're. not always going to be inspired every. day, but there's always another day and. you know. most albums, you know, around an hour or. a little bit less, a little bit more. I. did a double album this time. It's an. hour 20 minutes, but like over a 2-year. period, I'm going to have enough.

inspiration to make an hour. You know. Yeah, yeah, that's true. Uh. so, there'll be days when, you know, you. don't feel it and. uh like I said, one of my best ways of. combating any kind of writer's block is. having other energy around me and other. creative people in the room so that I. feel like I can get inspired by things. that are outside of my own head. Yeah. Um and so, I think that's important. Scheduling the time to write, I think is. important rather than just kind of. waiting around for.

inspiration randomly to hit because you. need I think you need to actively summon. that uh. rather than just kind of. uh. hoping it'll uh going to knock you over. the head every once in a while. Um you. need to actively summon it. And so, for. me, scheduling the time is important, too. Yeah. Do you Do you have any like. weird quirks or habits of to help summon. that moment or like some kind of things. that you need around you or any items or. things you need to see or that or is it. more like just scheduling, planning, structure? And then you want inspiration.

to come and like it could come from a. movie you saw or just a line from the. movie. Inspiration could come from a song you. listen to in the car on the way to the. studio. Inspiration could come from just. a random conversation you had where just. this line like stuck out to you. And. then like I said before, a lot of us do. collaborations so a producer may come in. and he have a track or she'll have a. track and. play it for you and it's just music but.

it speaks to you and you'll feel. something from it and then build a song. from that. And so those are different ways. inspiration comes. Yeah, what what's. been the difference about the first day. when you stepped into a studio like to. now when you step in? Like what were the. emotions and the feelings then? What's. changed? What's stayed the same? Well, I. I think I have a better understanding of. what I want to do now when I go in the. studio. I think. um. before. I just had less creative confidence, I.

think. And I've earned it through just. work. Yeah. Like time, work, repetition, like I've just written a lot and when I. walk in the studio now, I just feel like. I know how to write a song. I know how. to write a really good song. And. I just need to like work on it. I need. to spend the time, spend the energy. and do all those things to get inspired. like I said before and then I'll figure. it out. Yeah, John, you've been so. gracious with your time and energy. Thank you. I've loved this conversation.

It's been. This is fun. We've gone everywhere. Like. we just We talked about relationships. We talked about children. We talked. about your childhood. Like it's been so. beautiful. We We end every episode with. two segments. Uh one's a fast five quick. question. So one word to one sentence. answers maximum. And then I'll tell you. about the other one. So John Legend, these are your fast five. All right. Uh question number one, what's the best. advice you've ever received? I love. Quincy Jones' advice. He says, "Steal. from the best." Nice. That means, you know, be open to being. influenced and like take some of that.

Yeah, that's a great answer. listen to different artists that you. love and like. think about how to incorporate their. artistry into what you do. And I think. the more I know this is longer than I. said. It's good. It's good. It's a good. answer. the more the more you do it Yeah. you. just start to develop who you are. but it's informed and inspired by all. your influences. Yeah, love that answer. You're you're allowed. It's good. You're. allowed to go. Question number two, what's the worst advice you've ever. heard or received? I I don't know. I don't really catalog.

bad advice. Uh one thing we laughed about was. Kanye didn't like the. title Ordinary People for a song. Wow, yeah, yeah, of course I remember. that. his mind after a while. At first he was like he was like he was. like, "Can you come up with a better. But it went out that way. It never got. changed. No, it never got changed. Yeah, so it never got changed. But it was his. he was like, "Can you come up with. something better to say than that?" But.

eventually he fell in love with it and. ended up directing the video for it and. and. and it became you know obviously a very. important song at the beginning of my. career. But we always thought it was. funny that he was like, "I'm not sold on. this Ordinary People idea.". I love that. Yeah. Question number. three, what's something that you used to. value that you don't value anymore? Oh, I don't know. Well, I mean, we just go through. different phases in life and I think I. wanted. you.

like a certain kind of freedom. when I was younger. Um when I was a bachelor and you know, you like treasure this kind of freedom. and living like without as many. commitments. But then. you fall in love and you have kids with. someone and then like the commitment and. the and the responsibility is like it's. it's like it's. life defining in so many ways. And uh. you don't value that that kind of. freedom that you thought you wanted.

before. Yeah, that's a beautiful answer. We never never had that answer before. That's that's a special one. All right, question number four. The podcast is. called On Purpose. So, how would you. define your current purpose in life? My. purpose is to bring love into the world. Um I it's so much the core of who I am. um. artistically but also politically. I. think. love is like. I'm not religious. Love is my religion. Yeah. Yeah, that's beautiful. And fifth. and final question for the fast five is. if you could create one law that.

everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be? Woof. One law? We ask this to every guest. So, you're. getting asked the same questions as. every guest. Oh. Well, I I want to go back to love. one another. Yes. Yes, keep it simple. Yes. Yeah. That's a very Christian that. it's like the part of our uh. Jesus's uh two commandments were that. you would love God and that you would. love your neighbor as you loved. yourself. And if you think about that idea of.

loving your neighbor as yourself, um it's a pretty powerful idea. Absolutely. And if that were to guide our behaviors. and our politics and and and just the. way we treated each other, it would be I. don't know, pretty good world to live. in. Absolutely. Absolutely. All right, and these these ones are going to be. shorter. This is uh a segment called The. Many Sides to Us. And so again, this can. be one word for each one, literally one. word. So, what is a word to describe. what someone would say about you meeting.

you for the first time? Calm. Definitely. You were very calm when you. came in today. I would I would have to. agree with that. We walked over, you. were very calm. Yeah, I don't have a lot. of like highs and lows. Uh I'm very even keel through life, which can be frustrating like as a. partner. Like Chrissy would like for me. sometimes to be a little more dynamic, but but I think, you know, but it's also. like it's a gift and a curse because. when you're going through like tough. times and you need stability and you. need a rock around you,

I can be a rock. Well, that's why you need the humor in. this one tonight. Exactly. That's why we're good together. Yeah. That's my wife too. My wife's the. spontaneous one. I'm the even keel one. That works for us. All right, question. number two. What's a word to describe. what someone would describe you that. knows you very well? I think honestly so. much much of how my friends will. describe me is that I'm an even keel. person, that I'm a calming presence, and. that I don't have a lot of highs and. lows. So, I think people that first meet.

me think that, but people that know me. for a long time think that as well. Oh, that's good. That's That's not a bad. thing. All right, question number three. What is a word This time you can't say. the same answer. Cuz we're going to have the same answer. But the first two made sense. What is a. word you would use to describe yourself? Creative. I love. I love to create and I love. putting new things out into the world. Yeah. What's a word that someone that maybe. doesn't agree with you would say about. you? Well, let me think Let me go to Let. me go to my Twitter mentions.

Well, I think people that don't know me, you know, they. they know me you know, they know that I. call myself John Legend. That was an. assumed stage name. I wasn't born that. So, they probably think I'm pretty. arrogant. Um. uh you know, I don't think I am, but you. know, I could give off that uh. sense that, you know, I'm pretty. arrogant. Right. Okay. All right, and. question number five, the last one. What's a word that you're trying to. embody? Love. Love.

I love it. John Legend everyone. Uh the. masterclass on songwriting John Legend. teaches. Songwriting is available right. now. I hope you go and subscribe to. MasterClass genuinely. It is a. phenomenal platform when you get access. to all these incredible thinkers, leaders, teachers, guides. when you sign up. As I said, I've been a. subscriber since Bob Iger's and I cannot. wait. I I Can I become a good. songwriter, John? That is the question. Even though That's a good question. I. feel like. I feel like there has to be some level.

of. foundational musical understanding Yeah. Um to use my class, but I I think if you. have that, it can be really helpful. Well, I did grade five theory. I played. piano up to grade four and I used to. play percussion, but I haven't done it. since I was 12. And you may need like a. collaborator, like an instrumentalist, like a guitarist or a pianist with you. to help you kind of have some music. theory because I can't In my class, I. don't teach you a lot of like how to. play the instrument. But I I teach you how to take the.

knowledge that you have and build a song. from it. Absolutely. I love it, John. Well, I hope we get to bump into each. other again. Absolutely, Jay. This is a true. pleasure. True pleasure. man. Thank you so much for your time and. energy. Great to meet you. Thank you. And everyone who's been. listening watching back at home or. wherever you are, if you're on the move, make sure that you tag John and I on. Instagram, on Twitter, on TikTok. Let us. know what stood out to you, what you. learned, what you gained. Maybe there. were some amazing experiences that you. didn't know anything about. I love. seeing what you take away, what you. learn. Make sure you share that with. both of us and I'll see you at the next.

episode. If you want even more videos. just like this one, make sure you. subscribe and click on the boxes over. here. I'm also excited to let you know. that you can now get my book Think Like. a Monk from thinklikeamonkbook.com. Check below in the description to make. sure you order today.