John Legend on the creative process and "mumbling" his way to a hit
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This episode of Rethinking features a conversation with musician John Legend, delving into his multifaceted life and career. The episode begins with John Legend discussing his early musical experiences, including his struggle to sing and play piano simultaneously and his ambition to become a successful recording artist at age 15. He then shares his experience working as a management consultant at BCG while pursuing music as a side hustle, highlighting the benefits of having a day job for entrepreneurs and the skills he gained from consulting. John Legend breaks down his songwriting process, emphasizing the importance of melody and improvisation. He describes his unique approach to writing lyrics, combining specificity with universality. He also discusses the inspiration behind his children's album, "My Favorite Dream," and his collaboration with Sufjan Stevens. The conversation then shifts to John Legend's reflections on his parenting journey, particularly the challenges of raising a child with type 1 diabetes. He emphasizes the importance of normalizing struggle and allowing children to express their emotions. He also advocates for paid family leave, highlighting the importance of government support for families and the need for affordable childcare and early education. In a lightning round, John Legend shares his worst career advice, favorite advice, unpopular opinion, prediction for the future of creativity, and thoughts on the importance of giving. He then reflects on the challenges of being a precocious child, particularly the difficulty of integrating socially at school and college. He emphasizes the importance of finding a passion that provides comfort and connection. The episode concludes with John Legend offering advice to Adam Grant on navigating the challenges of parenting a child with type 1 diabetes, emphasizing the importance of supporting each other as a couple. He also discusses his experience as a judge and coach on The Voice, highlighting how teaching helps him become a better artist and understand what works for others. He shares a valuable piece of advice for creative pursuits: write the song that only you can write, something that reflects your unique perspective and experiences.
Outlines
John Legend's Journey to Music and Beyond
This episode of Rethinking features a conversation with musician John Legend, exploring his journey from early musical aspirations to his current success, discussing his creative process, parenting experiences, advocacy for paid family leave, and reflections on the impact of being a precocious child.
Early Musical Experiences and Career Aspirations
John Legend discusses his early musical experiences, including his struggle to sing and play piano simultaneously and his ambition to become a successful recording artist at age 15.
The Value of a Day Job and Skills Gained from Consulting
John Legend shares his experience working as a management consultant at BCG while pursuing music as a side hustle. He explains the benefits of having a day job for entrepreneurs and the skills he gained from consulting.
Songwriting Process, Creative Collaboration, and Children's Music
John Legend breaks down his songwriting process, emphasizing the importance of melody and improvisation. He describes his unique approach to writing lyrics, combining specificity with universality. He also discusses the inspiration behind his children's album, "My Favorite Dream," and his collaboration with Sufjan Stevens.
Parenting, Advocacy, and Reflections on Precociousness
The conversation shifts to John Legend's reflections on his parenting journey, particularly the challenges of raising a child with type 1 diabetes. He emphasizes the importance of normalizing struggle and allowing children to express their emotions. He also advocates for paid family leave, highlighting the importance of government support for families and the need for affordable childcare and early education. He then reflects on the challenges of being a precocious child, particularly the difficulty of integrating socially at school and college. He emphasizes the importance of finding a passion that provides comfort and connection.
Keywords
Egot Status
EGOT status refers to an individual who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. It is a highly coveted achievement in the entertainment industry.
Career Pivot
A career pivot refers to a significant change in one's career path, often involving a shift in industry, role, or skillset. It can be driven by personal growth, new opportunities, or a desire for a different work-life balance.
Creative Process
The creative process refers to the steps involved in generating new ideas and bringing them to life. It can vary widely depending on the individual and the type of creative work being undertaken.
Universal Lyrics
Universal lyrics are song lyrics that resonate with a broad audience, regardless of their personal experiences or backgrounds. They often address common human emotions, themes, and experiences.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas does not produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. It requires lifelong management with insulin therapy.
Paid Family Leave
Paid family leave refers to a government-mandated or employer-provided benefit that allows employees to take time off work with pay to care for a new child or a sick family member.
AI in Creativity
AI is increasingly being used in creative fields, such as songwriting and scriptwriting. It can assist with generating ideas, composing music, and writing text, but it is important to use it as a tool rather than allowing it to take over the creative process.
Generosity
Generosity refers to the act of giving freely without expecting anything in return. It can involve sharing resources, time, knowledge, or compassion.
Precocious Child
A precocious child is one who exhibits advanced abilities or maturity at an early age. This can be in areas such as intellectual development, artistic talent, or social skills.
Q&A
What is John Legend's unique approach to songwriting?
John Legend typically starts with melody and improvisation, mumbling nonsense melodies before fitting lyrics into the melodic structure. He believes great lyrics should be both specific to the artist's life and universal enough for everyone to relate to.
How did John Legend's experience as a management consultant influence his music career?
While John Legend doesn't believe the specific skills he learned in consulting were directly applicable to music, he gained valuable experience in getting things done, working effectively with smart people, and navigating the professional world.
What is John Legend's advice for parents facing challenges, like raising a child with type 1 diabetes?
John Legend emphasizes the importance of normalizing struggle, allowing children to express their emotions, and supporting each other as a couple. He believes that focusing on the relationship can help navigate difficult times.
What is John Legend's perspective on the role of AI in creativity?
John Legend believes AI can be a valuable collaborator in creative fields, but it's crucial to set high standards for oneself and use AI as a tool rather than allowing it to take over the creative process.
What is John Legend's advice for aspiring artists?
John Legend advises artists to write the song that only they can write, something that reflects their unique perspective and experiences. He believes that authenticity is key to creating impactful art.
Show Notes
Before John Legend was coaching The Voice and winning Emmys, Grammys, Oscars and Tonys, he was a twenty-something consultant living in Boston. In this episode, John sits down with Adam to share how he hustled from the boardroom to the studio and crafted the creative career that led him to the top of the entertainment industry. John also talks about how he maintains creative vision at the core of his business, and why family and advocacy work are vital to his artistic mission.
Available transcripts for ReThinking can be found at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts
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