John Legend is gearing up to drop his new album, Bigger Love, next week, and to get his fans amped up, he's shared the beautiful cover art and tracklist, which includes features from Jhené Aiko, Rapsody, and more. John confirmed back in March that he had a new album on the way, and now the release date is fast approaching. On Friday (June 12th), John took to Instagram to unveil the cover art for Bigger Love, painted by "brilliant artist" Charly Palmer, as well as the official tracklist which includes his "amazing featured guests."
"I’m so excited to introduce my new album Bigger Love to the world," John wrote. "This project has been a labor of love for me, something I’ve spent over a year conceiving and creating. I poured my heart and soul into these songs and collaborated with some incredibly gifted co-writers, producers and musicians. The songs are inspired by the loves of my life: my wife, my family and the rich tradition of black music that has made me the artist I am." John goes on to note that he wrote and recorded the album before the Earth-shattering events of 2020.
"All of these songs were created prior to the world being rocked by a pandemic, prior to the latest police killings in the U.S. that sent so many to the streets in protest," he explained. "During these painful times, some of us may wonder if it’s ok to laugh or dance or be romantic. Lately, the images of black people in the media have been showing us with knees on our necks, in mourning, or expressing our collective outrage. We feel all those emotions."
"But It’s important for us to continue to show the world the fullness of what it is to be black and human," he continued. "Through our art, we are able to do that. This album is a celebration of love, joy, sensuality, hope, and resilience, the things that make our culture so beautiful and influential."
"I’m under no illusion that music can save the world or solve the world’s problems, but I’ve always turned to music to help me through tough times and I know many of you have done the same," he concluded. "That’s why I couldn’t wait to release this album to the world. I debuted in 2004 with an album called Get Lifted. And now, as we enter the summer of 2020, I hope this new album can get you lifted again, fill your hearts with love and inspiration, give you something to dance to, something to hold hands to, something to make love to. A week from today, on June 19, I invite you to experience a Bigger Love."
Last month, John's wife, Chrissy Teigen, leaked a few snippets from Bigger Love, and spilled the beans that Jhené would be featured on the album. Chrissy did not hold back on how she felt about some of the tracks, but John appeared to be in on the joke, so all was well.