Mandatory Music: John Legend Spreads ‘Bigger Love’ With Beautiful Mix of Everything Black Music Culture

We could all use a little more love right about now. Leave it to John Legend, the R&B crooner, to give it to us in audible form. The singer’s latest album, Bigger Love, was born during an upbeat time in his life. He had been named the “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine, he nabbed an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music, and he and wife Chrissy Teigen welcomed their second child, Miles, into the world. Legend was having a moment, so it’s no wonder his happiness flowed out into his music.

“A lot was going on, but I still felt like people need some uplifting music,” Legend told Oprah Magazine of recording the album in 2019. “Hopefully it can help them get through what’s been a tough spring, and hopefully this music will help them have a better summer.”

The 16-track album includes a protest song (“Preach”), a tune about living each day to the fullest (“One Life”), and a romantic tribute about accepting and loving your special someone exactly as they are (“Conversations in the Dark”). Legend also collaborated on the album with innovative artists like Gary Clark Jr. (“Wild”), Jhené Aiko (“U Move, I Move”), Rapsody (“Remember Us”), and Koffee (“Don’t Walk Away”), infusing the tunes with elements from blues, R&B, rap, and reggae. Listen up:

Bigger Love isn’t an album that’ll make you think too hard, but it will make your heart happy, and really, what more could you ask for from music released in the middle of a pandemic?

Cover Photo: NBC/Contributor (Getty Images)

Study up: The Mandatory White Guy’s Guide to Being a Supportive Ally to the Black Community

MORE NEWS:

Study up: 10 Trending Black Culture Books You Need to Read to Educate Yourself

Visit the Mandatory Shop for great deals on your very own Mandatory merch.

Follow Mandatory on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.