All of Legend in Manila

CHRISSY Teigen is husband John Legend’s muse.

Brandishing that slick, supple voice with which he weaves those runs that melt like butter, American singer-songwriter John Legend announced his arrival in the global music scene in 2005 with the soulful ballad, “Ordinary People,” a track from his well-received debut album, “Get Lifted.”

Critical acclaim promptly followed and, the following year, the R&B recording artist snagged three of his current nine Grammy Awards. But it would take him almost a decade and four more studio albums before scoring that elusive No. 1 hit.

Biggest yet

Last year, prior to releasing “All of Me”— the third single from his fifth album, “Love in the Future”— Legend felt that he finally had what could be his biggest song yet. He did.

“I was thrilled to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart!” the multi-awarded musician told the Inquirer in an email interview. “I believe the lyrics of the song connected to so many people because it was such an honest reflection of my experience of being in love… I think the best lyrics are the ones that are both personal and universal.”

All of that

The feat was made all the more rewarding by the fact that he wrote “All of Me” with his wife, top model Chrissy Teigen, in mind. The affecting piano ballad has been lauded not only for its melody, but also for the message: celebrating women—“all [their] curves, edges and perfect imperfections.”

Said the 35-year-old crooner, “Being in love means you embrace all of that in someone.”

Legend is expected to make the ladies swoon when he performs “All of Me” in his coming Manila concert, “An Evening with John Legend: The ‘All of Me’ Tour.” Presented by Wilbros Live, this “intimate, acoustic and stripped down” show is set Sept. 26 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tickets are available at TicketNet outlets; call 911-5555.

The rest of the Inquirer interview with Legend:

It will be your second visit to Manila. What do you remember about the city?

I loved it the first time. My fans in the Philippines are great! I enjoyed the food quite a lot. I’m looking forward to returning.

Your concert is tagged, “Intimate. Acoustic. Stripped Down.” What moved you to take it in that direction?

I’ve always loved performing in a stripped-down setting; it gives me the chance to shine as a singer, songwriter and pianist. Sometimes, with elaborate production and so much noise around the artist, the fans don’t really hear the singer and the songs.

I also enjoy getting closer to the audience and telling my story, so they get to know me better.

You became popular in the Philippines many years ago because of “Ordinary People.” How has your music evolved since?

Each album throughout my career carried a different lyrical and musical theme. As a writer and musician, I’m always looking to [share] what is going on in my life, to grow and challenge myself creatively each time.

How would you compare the high of winning awards to scoring a No. 1 hit?

It was incredible, winning my first Grammys, especially for Best New Artist back in 2006. Though I’ve won [more] Grammy’s since, I don’t think I had another moment of excitement like that in my career until I had my first No. 1 hit.

How has “All of Me” boosted your career?

I’ve always had a strong and loyal fan base, but this song’s success has increased the number of people who know my music. We’re playing to larger crowds and reaching more people. It’s a beautiful thing.

“All of Me” and your other single, “You and I,” are seen as sort of women empowerment anthems. Your thoughts on this?

Both songs are about me telling my wife how much I love her.

Everyone has insecurities. Everyone has imperfections. Women, especially, are pressured to look a certain way. And, although my wife is a supermodel, there are times when she looks in the mirror and doesn’t like what she sees.

Tell us about your support for the “Operation Girl” campaign.

In conjunction with the release of the “You and I” video, we raised about $500,000 to support charities that empower women and girls around the world. We allowed our fans to choose which charities were most deserving. It was exciting to engage our fans in this way, and they were very supportive.

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