Ahead of the release of his fifth studio album, ‘Darkness and Light’ on Friday (2nd December), John Legend has covered Jocks&Nerds in a great shoot.
In the interview, Legend tells Mark Webster about his production company, ‘Get Lifted Film Company’, his movie based on the beginning of Barack and Michelle Obama’s relationship, ‘Southside With You’, the Black Lives Matter movement, and President-elect, Donald Trump.
On his musical influences and his album title, ‘Darkness and Light’
“I look to artists like Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers for inspiration more than any other artists. I consider myself to be someone who is part of a legacy, but doing it in my own way. I’m not trying to directly mimic what they’ve done, but I’m highly influenced by them and my goal is to take that influence and make something that is fresh and new.”
“They sang about love and relationships in a really beautiful, sensual way, but they also sang about love in a broader sense: love for mankind, love for justice and love for peace.”
“While ‘Darkness and Light’ is the name of one of the songs, those words kept coming back to me. There’s a lot of darkness in the world, pain and conflict. But the album also represents the desire to find light, optimism, love and joy in the midst of all that.”
On acting and film production
“I approached acting in the film business more as a musician than as a producer. I’d gotten involved with a lot of films as songwriter but when I started my company it was a process that involved finding the right directors, finding the right cast, telling the right stories. And I think a lot of that comes from my own political sensibilities. A lot of the work we’ve been doing reflects a lot of the issues I care about politically. But also there’s simply my love of great storytelling and my love of great music in relation to telling those stories.”
On the Obamas
“I think now was a great time [for ‘Southside With You’] because a lot of people are feeling pretty nostalgic about the first couple and how historically significant they are given that he was the first black President, she was the first black First Lady, but also how graceful and elegant and strong they have been as leaders of the country over the last eight years. And I think people are rightfully intrigued by their relationship and how they met. We thought it was a great story to tell. Films will be made about his career as a politician but I think it takes a little more time to have perspective on that kind of story.”
On Trump
“I think people are already missing the way they (Barack and Michelle) conducted themselves in office. Particularly when you compare them, especially with Trump and how tawdry so much of the campaign has been. I think people are appreciating how scandal-free [Obama’s] Presidency has been and, like I say, appreciating him more and more. And combine that with the fact the economy is doing much better than it was before he came into office. Unemployment’s down, incomes are rising. I think all in all, people are realising he did a pretty great job.”
