EGOT achiever John Legend shared his stirring seventh studio record in June. Legend’s album Bigger Love emanates his feel-good energy, and he brought the same vibes to his at-home NPR Tiny Desk set.
Backed by a full band, three back-up singers, and a light-up plaque that reads, “Speak your truth even if your voice sinks,” Legend gave an uplifting four-track set. The singer opened with a rendition of his album opener “Ooh La,” which he describes as “a little doo-wop meets trap.” Next, Legend showcased his knockout vocals with “Wild” which, according to him, is “a good song for babies to dance to — you might want to get married to it, too, if you’re so inclined.”
Legend ended his set with a soaring performance of his title track, “Bigger Love.” Introducing the song, Legend said his music has taken on a whole new meaning in post-pandemic life:
“I wrote all the songs before the pandemic, before we saw folks marching in the streets, mourning (the) life of George Floyd, expressing their outrage. But some of these songs feel even more appropriate now, feel like we need them more now then we did even when I wrote them. This song ‘Bigger Love’ is about the power of love to get us through tough times, the idea that when you have love, it makes you more resilient, it makes you more hopeful And we all need a little dance break, too, right?”
Watch Legend’s at-home Tiny Desk concert above.
Bigger Love is out now via Columbia. Get it here.