John Legend, known for his multi-faceted career as an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner, musician, songwriter, producer, philanthropist, and businessman, is adding another title to his extensive resume: creator of family-friendly music. Legend, a father of four, has announced his upcoming album, ‘My Favorite Dream’, set to release on August 30 via Republic Records: Kids & Family.
Reflecting on his journey into fatherhood, Legend shared that his parents often sang around the house, creating songs for bedtime and other moments of family life. This tradition has continued in his own home, where he and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, often make up little jingles and ditties for their children. “Music is very important to the way we interact and communicate with them,” Legend said.
The 15-track album, produced by the talented multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens, will feature nine original songs penned by Legend himself. In addition, ‘My Favorite Dream’ will include three bonus tracks, which are covers of songs inspired by Fisher-Price’s beloved toys. According to Legend, the inspiration for the album came from Teigen, who suggested that he write a children’s album. Embracing the challenge, Legend decided to create original lullabies and children’s songs that he would want his own kids to hear. He hopes to share these songs with families worldwide.
The album’s lead single, “L-O-V-E,” was released on August 9 and features appearances from Teigen and their two oldest children, Luna and Miles. Eight-year-old Luna even designed the artwork for the single’s cover. Discussing the theme of the song, Legend noted that “love is the central theme in so much of my life, from family to music to philanthropic work to everything I do in business.” He described “L-O-V-E” as an anthem celebrating common humanity and bringing joy to listeners. Legend hopes the song will uplift and inspire all who hear it.
Interestingly, Legend took an unconventional approach to writing the album’s original tracks. Rather than working in a studio, he composed the songs at home, sitting at the family piano with his children nearby. “I usually write most of my albums at the studio,” he explained, “But I wanted to write this album with my family around.” This personal touch is expected to resonate throughout ‘My Favorite Dream’.
‘My Favorite Dream’ follows Legend’s 2022 album, ‘LEGEND’, which was a double-disc release featuring hits like “Dope” (featuring JID), “All She Wanna Do” (featuring Saweetie), “Wonder Woman,” and “Honey” (featuring Muni Long). The latter track reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. ‘LEGEND’ also showcased collaborations with artists like Jazmine Sullivan, Jhené Aiko, Ty Dolla $ign, Ledisi, and others.
To his musical pursuits, Legend has recently ventured into the pet industry with the launch of his new brand, Kismet, which he co-founded with Teigen. The brand aims to provide high-quality dog food, lifestyle goods, and engaging content for pets and their owners.
As fans eagerly anticipate ‘My Favorite Dream’, they can stream the lead single “L-O-V-E” and look forward to an album that promises to be a heartwarming addition to family music collections.
