John Legend is marking the twentieth anniversary of his debut album Get Lifted and not too long ago appeared on The Tonight Present Starring Jimmy Fallon to replicate on his journey.
In the course of the interview, Legend reminisced about considered one of his earliest experiences within the music trade—assembly Lauryn Hill and incomes his first-ever recording credit score on her groundbreaking album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
“So the primary time I met Lauryn Hill, I used to be nonetheless a scholar on the College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, so I used to be going to highschool there, and I used to play at this church up in Scranton. So Scranton’s a pair hours north of Philly, and I might drive up there each weekend. And considered one of my choir members’ identify was Tara Michel, and she or he went to highschool with Lauryn Hill,” Legend recalled.
“And The Rating had already been an enormous success for the Fugees and ‘Killing Me Softly.’ And everyone was questioning when Lauryn’s going to go solo. And she or he was engaged on her solo album, and Tara was like, ‘Johnny, come to Jersey with me, and we’re going to fulfill Lauryn Hill. She’s engaged on her solo album.’ And they also’re engaged on the album, and I get on the piano simply to indicate her what I may do.”
“It was like a mini audition,” Legend continued. “I used to be nervous, however, you recognize, I did my factor. I sang a bit of Stevie Marvel, sang an unique tune, too, after which she was like, ‘Why don’t you play piano on this tune I’m engaged on now?’ And it was ‘Every part Is Every part’ from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
Legend mirrored on the importance of the second, noting, “That was my first credit score on any album. And it was, you recognize, one of many biggest albums of all time.”
On the time, Legend was nonetheless credited beneath his delivery identify, John R. Stephens. “I didn’t know if the tune was going to make the album. I didn’t know if my components have been going to make the album. And so I used to be simply ready to search out out, and I get a name from A&R at Columbia Data, which is the place Lauryn signed, and so they requested me how one can spell my identify for the album credit,” he mentioned.
“I used to be like, ‘Oh, okay, you wish to know how one can spell my identify?’ So I used to be like… John R. Stephens. John R. Stephens—S-T-E-P-H-E-N-S. And I used to be like, looking back, that was not an important stage identify to, like, placed on the album credit.”
Reflecting on his present stage identify, he added, “John Legend’s lots higher. I didn’t change into John Legend for some time. However I used to be John R. Stephens on Monitor 13 of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
Past reminiscing about his previous, Legend seemed forward to the long run, saying his Get Lifted twentieth Anniversary World Tour, which is ready to kick off on Might 27 in Glasgow, U.Ok.
The tour will cowl greater than 40 cities throughout the U.Ok., Europe, and North America, together with stops at The O2 in London, Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Accor Enviornment in Paris, Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and Barclays Middle in New York, earlier than wrapping up on December 9 in Oakland, California.
To commemorate the anniversary, Legend additionally revealed plans for a deluxe version of Get Lifted, which can embody remixes and unreleased tracks from the period. The album, initially launched in 2004, featured hits like “Atypical Folks,” “Used to Love U,” and “So Excessive,” and helped set up Legend as a serious drive in R&B and soul music.
