Emmy-, Grammy-, Oscar-, and Tony–winner John Legend will be appearing at Wolf Trap to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut album Get Lifted, which won three Grammys. Both nights of his show — on September 2 and 3 — will be backed by his full band. He will perform songs from Get Lifted, as well as others from throughout his career.
Legend talks to Northern Virginia Magazine about the tour, his four children with model and author Chrissy Teigen, his next appearance on The Voice, and visiting family in Northern Virginia.
Do you ever imagine you’d be talking about Get Lifted 20 years later. And all the amazing things you’ve done over the last two decades?
Well, I envisioned having a long career. This is what I wanted — to make music that was going to last and really connect with people for a long time, but you never know what’s going to happen. All my dreams have come true and beyond. But I did have high aspirations for myself back then, so I really do feel grateful that it’s happened the way that I wanted it to happen.
I remember the struggles and tough times before I got a record deal, being told no many times and that I wasn’t ready yet or that the music wasn’t there yet. When I go back to that Get Lifted era, I remember all that, because I wrote most of the songs before I was signed. And so all those experiences are with me when I’m performing them.
Over the last 20 years, you met Chrissy, got married, and had four kids. What would you say to your kids if any of them decide to follow in your footsteps?
I’m just encouraging them to follow what they’re excited about. Luna (Legend and Teigen’s oldest child) seems very excited about performing. She’s been in school musicals, takes piano and vocal lessons, and she’s done dance and gymnastics, and is also very visually creative. I can see her following in mine and Chrissy’s footsteps, to a degree.
The younger ones, we will see. But either way we try to give them the opportunity to try things and see what they really love, then we’ll encourage them to focus on one or two things they love the most.
You’re taking a break from The Voice this upcoming season. Do you think you’ll come back in the future?
Well, it’s interesting, because The Voice tapes two seasons at the same time. Even though I’m not going to appear in the fall season, we’re taping the spring season kind of in back-to-back weeks with the fall season. So it doesn’t feel like I’m taking a break. It may feel like a break to the audience, because they won’t see me in the fall. We’re already filming with Adam [Levine] and Kelly [Clarkson], for the spring. I love working with them, and I’ve been working with them both since my first season there. We’re having a lot of fun.
You’ve played at Wolf Trap multiple times now. What do you like most about playing there? What can people expect at show?
We’re really celebrating Get Lifted, so we’re going to do every single song from the album. Then we’ll be throwing in some of my hits from other albums throughout the years. We will do some fun covers connecting back to that era of Get Lifted that inspired me, from the late ‘90s and early ‘00s era. It’s a fun chance for everybody to get nostalgic and reminisce.
I love the vibe of an amphitheater, and I do a lot of them during the summers. We especially love Wolf Trap, and it’s one of our favorite venues.
Do you have any favorite places to visit when you’re in Virginia?
I have family that live in Fredericksburg, so I try to see them when I’m there. My mother just got remarried, and my new stepfather has family there, too. We have some close friends that live in the area as well, so we’ll be catching up with lots of old friends, family, and cousins.
Feature image courtesy Guy Aroch
