John Legend facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Legend
Legend in 2022
Born	John Roger Stephens (1978-12-28) December 28, 1978 (age 47) Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
Education	University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Occupation	Singer songwriter pianist record producer actor
Years active	1998–present
Works	Discography filmography production
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Chrissy Teigen ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	4
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop hip-hop soul neo soul
Instruments	Vocals piano
Labels	Republic Columbia GOOD Sony Urban
Signature

John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known to the world as John Legend, is a super talented American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He started his amazing music journey working behind the scenes for other famous artists. He played piano for Lauryn Hill and sang backup for Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. John Legend was the first artist to sign with Kanye West's record label, GOOD Music. He released his first album, Get Lifted, in 2004. This album became very popular, especially with his hit song "Ordinary People".

John Legend has won many important awards, including 12 Grammy Awards. He also won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his song "Glory" from the movie Selma. In 2018, he achieved something very special: he became one of the few people to win an EGOT, which means he has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award! This makes him a true legend in entertainment. He has also been a coach on the popular TV show The Voice for many seasons.

John Legend's Early Life and Education

John Roger Stephens was born on December 28, 1978, in Springfield, Ohio. He was the second of four children. His mom, Phyllis, was a seamstress, and his dad, Ronald, worked in a factory. Music was a big part of his family. His father played the drums, his mother sang and led the church choir, and his grandmother played the church organ.

John Legend's parents were divorced for some years before they got back together. His mother taught him at home for a while. He started playing the piano when he was just 4 years old. By age 7, he was performing with his church choir. He was very smart and skipped two grades in school!

At 12, John Legend went to North High School in Springfield, Ohio. He graduated as the second-best student in his class. When he was 15, he won an essay contest about how he planned to make Black history through music.

At 16, he enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. There, he led a jazz and pop singing group called the Counterparts. His singing on their song "One of Us" was highly praised. While at college, he met singer Lauryn Hill. She hired him to play piano on her song "Everything Is Everything". He graduated in 1999 with a degree in English, focusing on African-American literature.

John Legend's Amazing Music Career

Starting His Music Journey

After college, John Stephens worked as a consultant. But he also started making his own music. He released two albums by himself, selling them at his shows. He then began sending his music to different record labels.

In 2001, John met Kanye West, who was a rising hip-hop artist. John was hired to help write and sing parts of Kanye's songs. After signing with Kanye's record label, GOOD Music, John chose his stage name, John Legend. A poet named J. Ivy told him, "You sound like one of the legends." The name stuck!

First Big Hits and Awards

John Legend released his first studio album, Get Lifted, in 2004. It was a big success, reaching the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart. The album sold many copies and was loved by critics. It won three Grammy Awards in 2006, including Best R&B Album and Best New Artist. His song "Ordinary People" also won a Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

In the years that followed, John Legend worked with many other artists. He appeared on albums by Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, and Fergie. He even performed on Sesame Street in 2006, singing a duet with Hoots the Owl! He also performed at the Super Bowl XL and the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.

His second album, Once Again, came out in 2006. It was also very successful, reaching number three on the Billboard 200. This album also earned him more Grammy Awards.

Evolving His Sound

Legend performing at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania in 2009

In 2008, John Legend sang in a video for Barack Obama called "Yes We Can". He also released his third album, Evolver. He chose this name because he wanted to try new things and experiment with his music. The album included the popular song "Green Light".

In 2009, John Legend worked with the hip-hop band Roots to create a special album called Wake Up!. This album won three Grammy Awards in 2011, including Best R&B Album.

"All of Me" and More Success

Legend at the Citi Presents: Evenings with Legends show in 2014

John Legend's fourth album, Love in the Future, came out in 2013. It featured his most famous song, "All of Me". This beautiful song, dedicated to his wife, became a huge international hit. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold millions of copies.

In 2014, John Legend teamed up with rapper Common to write "Glory" for the movie Selma. This powerful song won an Oscar and a Golden Globe! He also sang "America the Beautiful" at the Super Bowl XLIX in 2015.

New Albums and TV Coaching

Legend at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards

John Legend released his album Darkness and Light in 2016. In 2017, he and Ariana Grande sang a duet for the movie Beauty and the Beast. He also voiced the main character in the animated short film Crow: The Legend.

In 2018, John Legend starred as Jesus Christ in a live TV musical called Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. His work as a producer for this show helped him achieve his EGOT status! This means he has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. He is one of only a few people to ever do this.

Since 2019, John Legend has been a popular coach on the TV singing competition The Voice. He even won the competition with his artist Maelyn Jarmon in 2019. In 2020, he released his album Bigger Love, which won another Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. His album Legend came out in 2022, and My Favorite Dream was released in 2024.

John Legend also spoke out in the documentary Surviving R. Kelly. He used his voice to support people who had been harmed and to speak against harmful actions. He believed it was important to stand up for those who needed help.

John Legend: Helping Others and Speaking Up

John Legend uses his fame to help make the world a better place. In 2005, he performed a concert to support schools in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio.

In 2007, he worked with Tide laundry detergent to help families affected by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. He also started his Show Me Campaign after reading a book about ending poverty. This campaign helps people in need, like those in Bosaso Village, Somalia.

John Legend has supported many causes. In 2009, he allowed his song "If You're Out There" to be used to promote awareness about HIV/AIDS. In 2010, he performed for a telethon to help Haiti after an earthquake. He also joined the board of Teach For America, an organization that helps improve education. He supports groups like the Education Equality Project and Stand for Children.

In 2013, he performed at a concert for "Chime for Change," a campaign that helps women with education, health, and justice. He said that all men should be feminists, meaning they should care about women's rights.

In 2014, John Legend started the FREEAMERICA campaign. This project works to improve the justice system in the United States. He also supported a plan in Florida in 2018 to give voting rights back to people who had finished their prison sentences.

In 2016, Legend signed a letter asking the United Nations Secretary-General to create kinder drug policies. In 2017, he donated $500,000 to his old school district in Springfield, Ohio, to fix up an auditorium. This auditorium is now named the John Legend Theater in his honor. He also helps FUSE Corps, an organization that works to reduce unfairness and racism.

John Legend's Family Life

John Legend met model Chrissy Teigen in 2006 while making a music video for his song "Stereo". They got engaged in 2011 and were married on September 14, 2013, in Italy. His famous song "All of Me" is a loving tribute to her.

The couple has four children: a daughter born in April 2016, a son born in May 2018, a daughter born in January 2023, and a son born in June 2023. The couple experienced a sad loss of a child in 2020.

On the TV show Finding Your Roots, it was discovered that John Legend's family background includes African, European, and Native American heritage.

John Legend's Music

Studio albums

• Get Lifted (2004)
• Once Again (2006)
• Evolver (2008)
• Wake Up! (with the Roots) (2010)
• Love in the Future (2013)
• Darkness and Light (2016)
• A Legendary Christmas (2018)
• Bigger Love (2020)
• Legend (2022)
• My Favorite Dream (2024)

On Tour

Headlining tours

• Get Lifted Tour (2005)
• Once Again Tour (2007)
• Evolver Tour (2009)
• Love in the Future World Tour (2014)
• Darkness and Light World Tour (2017)
• A Legendary Christmas Tour (2018–19)
• Bigger Love Tour (2021)
• An Evening with John Legend (2023)
• Get Lifted 20th Anniversary Tour (2025)

Residencies

• Love in Las Vegas (held at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas) (2022)

Movies and TV Shows

Television

Film

Awards and Honors

John Legend has won many prestigious awards throughout his career. Some of his most notable honors include:

• 12 Grammy Awards
• An Oscar for "Glory"
• A Golden Globe for "Glory"
• A Tony Award for co-producing the play Jitney
• A Primetime Emmy Award for producing Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

These awards make him one of the few people to achieve an EGOT, meaning he has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. He also received the Hal David Starlight Award in 2007 and the President's Award in 2016.

See also

In Spanish: John Legend para niños