John Legend hopes his new album Bigger Love will spread joy to those involved in the Black Lives Matter movement.
The All of Me singer is set to release the record later this month, and during a chat with Britain's Daily Star newspaper during a virtual album-listening party, declared the collection to be a “celebration of black music”.
“During these challenging times some of us wonder if it’s OK to spread joy, to laugh, to dance, to be romantic or do we need to be in a constant state of mourning," the 41-year-old shared. “Lately the images of black people in the media have been showing us with knees on our necks, in protests, us in mourning and us in anger.
“We feel all of those things and I think that’s important for us to show but it’s also important for us to continue to show the world the fullness of what it is to be black and human and through our art, we are able to do that.”
Noting how he hopes his new music can offer some encouragement, John stated: “It’s a celebration of black music, it’s a joyful album, it’s an album full of love and hope and I think it’s also about resilience.
“I want people to be lifted by this album," he continued. “I sing about all sorts of things, I sing about pain and grief as well, but I feel this album can be an uplifting album and I hope that is what people take from it.”
