Last night was the second day of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, which is a virtual, online-only event this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The political event is flush with musical talent, as the first night of the DNC saw performances from Maggie Rogers and Leon Bridges, while Billie Eilish and Jennifer Hudson are set to perform in the coming days. Yesterday had a music highlight as well, including a performance from John Legend, the night’s only musical performer.
After being introduced by Tracee Ellis Ross, the broadcast cut to a pre-shot performance of John Legend, who was joined in an empty room only by his piano to perform “Never Break.” That’s how it seemed as first, anyway, before the shot panned around to reveal that he had a choir of backing singers with him as well. The song was thematically appropriate given the state of the country and the world, as Legend sang optimistically, “We will never break / Built on a foundation / Strong enough to stay / We will never break / As the water rises / And the mountains shake / Our love will remain.”
Legend wrote on Twitter of his performance, “Thanks to the @DemConvention for asking me to close out a powerful night with my new song #NeverBreak. The song is about love, hope and resilience, and I think we could all use some of that right now.”
Thanks to the @DemConvention for asking me to close out a powerful night with my new song #NeverBreak. The song is about love, hope and resilience, and I think we could all use some of that right now.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) August 19, 2020
Watch Legend perform “Never Break” above.