LOS ANGELES – Jay-Z once told John Legend, “You’re our voice.” Pharrell Williams, however, wanted to explore another side of that voice—one that sometimes speaks more than it sings.
On “Muse,” his latest album, Legend tones down his trademark vocal power on several tracks, embracing a looser, conversational style at Williams’ suggestion. The approach represents a fresh turn for the EGOT-winning artist, whose piano-led ballads, including “All of Me” and “Ordinary People,” have shaped his career for over 20 years.
The 16-song album, arriving Friday, is Legend’s first complete project with Williams following more than two decades of friendship. Much of it was recorded at Williams’ studio in the Louis Vuitton headquarters in Paris. The collaboration began after Legend appeared on Clipse’s “The Birds Don’t Sing,” prompting Williams to imagine an entire album built around Legend’s voice.
In a conversation with The Associated Press, Legend spoke about Williams’ impact on his creative process, Jay-Z’s unforgettable praise and his work composing an original score for “Imitation of Life,” a new musical set to open at New York’s The Shed in December.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
AP: After earning EGOT status and building a career that spans more than two decades, what remains for you to prove?
LEGEND: I want every project I make to feel like my strongest one. I want each album to be better than the last. To do that, I have to keep challenging myself, keep moving forward and refuse to rely only on what I’ve already accomplished.
That also requires me to explore unfamiliar territory. Making a full album with Pharrell was a new experience, and now I’m writing for Broadway. I’m always looking for different creative paths that push me and reveal what else I’m capable of doing.
AP: Has the enormous success of piano ballads such as “All of Me” ever made you feel confined to a particular sound?
LEGEND: Not at all. I actually think that success has given me more freedom. It helped me believe in my instincts and trust my own artistic voice. It also created relationships with record labels and business partners who trust my decisions instead of trying to control every detail. I’m able to create from a place of confidence rather than fear, and that makes me more open to taking chances.
AP: What new approach did Pharrell encourage you to bring to “Muse”?
LEGEND: On certain songs, he urged me to try a talk-singing style—to deliver the words more like I was speaking directly to someone and having a conversation.
You can hear that in “Fireflies,” particularly in the verses, where I’m almost presenting or narrating the words instead of following a traditional melody. That was Pharrell’s idea, and I think it fits the song beautifully. Working with someone new can be valuable because they introduce possibilities you may never have considered on your own.
AP: Why did it take you and Pharrell more than 20 years to make a full album together?
LEGEND: At the beginning of my career, I was signed to GOOD Music, and Kanye (West) played a major role in executive producing my albums. At that point, making an entire project with another producer wouldn’t have made much sense. Now I have more independence and can follow whatever direction feels right musically. Republic Records gives me a lot of freedom, so I can pursue whatever inspires me—or wherever my muse leads me, no pun intended.
AP: You’ve collaborated with artists ranging from Lauryn Hill and Jay-Z to Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross and Clipse. Is hip-hop’s influence on your career sometimes underestimated?
LEGEND: I think many people recognize it, and they often tell me so. Jay-Z once approached me and said, “You’re our voice.” Hip-hop audiences understand that rappers bring me into a song because they believe I can contribute something distinctive. I’m proud that hip-hop has remained such an important part of my legacy and my body of work.
AP: Why does revisiting “Imitation of Life,” especially its exploration of race and identity, feel meaningful today?
LEGEND: One compelling part of the process was approaching the story as Black artists and placing Delilah, a Black woman, at the center in a way she had never been centered before. Turning a film that was not originally a musical into one presented another fascinating challenge. It gave us the chance to explore a particularly rich period in both American music and cultural history—the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz Age.
AP: At this point in your career, what feels more frightening: attempting a creative gamble that fails, or making music that no longer surprises you?
LEGEND: I don’t know if anything scares me. I would say I don’t want to get complacent. I want to continue to hold myself to a high standard, hold anything I release to a high standard, and I refuse to just rest on my laurels.
I guess you could call it fear, but I don’t think it’s really fear. It’s motivation and challenge that I put in front of myself.
