LOS ANGELES – Jay-Z once told John Legend, “You’re our voice.” Pharrell Williams, however, had a different suggestion for how Legend should use that voice: On some songs, let it speak before it sings.
On “Muse,” his new album, Legend pulls back from his trademark vocal power on select tracks, embracing a more conversational style at Williams’ encouragement. The approach represents a fresh direction for the EGOT winner, whose piano-led ballads, including “All of Me” and “Ordinary People,” have shaped his career for more than 20 years.
The 16-track album, released Friday, is Legend’s first full-length collaboration with Williams after more than two decades of friendship. Most of it was recorded at Williams’ studio inside Louis Vuitton’s Paris headquarters. The project took shape after Legend appeared on Clipse’s “The Birds Don’t Sing,” prompting Williams to create an album centered on Legend’s voice.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Legend spoke about Williams’ impact on his creative process, Jay-Z’s enduring compliment and his work composing an original stage score for “Imitation of Life,” a new musical scheduled to open at The Shed in New York in December.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
AP: You’ve reached EGOT status and enjoyed more than 20 years of success. What do you still want to prove?
LEGEND: I want every project to be my strongest project, and every album to be my best album. That requires me to keep pushing and challenging myself rather than simply relying on everything I’ve already accomplished.
It also means exploring unfamiliar territory. Making an entire album with Pharrell was new for me, and now I’m writing for Broadway. I’m looking for different creative paths that challenge me and show me where those challenges can take my imagination.
AP: Has the success of your piano ballads and songs such as “All of Me” ever made you feel confined creatively?
LEGEND: No, not at all. I actually feel empowered by my success. It has given me confidence in my voice and instincts. It has also enabled me to build relationships with record labels and other business partners who trust my judgment instead of micromanaging me. … I can work from a place of confidence and openness to new ideas, rather than from fear.
AP: How did Pharrell push you to approach “Muse” differently?
LEGEND: On certain songs, he encouraged me to use a talk-singing approach, so it sounded more like I was speaking and having a conversation.
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On “Fireflies,” for example, parts of the verses feel more like an oration, as if I’m speaking instead of following a traditional melody. That was Pharrell’s idea, and I think it works really well. … That’s the value of working with new collaborators: They can introduce ideas you might never have considered on your own.
AP: Why did you and Pharrell wait 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) was closely involved in executive producing my albums. At that point, making a complete album with another producer would not have made much sense. Now I’m more of a free agent and can make whatever music I want. My label, Republic Records, gives me broad creative freedom to follow my musical instincts and 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. Do people underestimate hip-hop’s influence on your career?
LEGEND: I think many people recognize it, and they tell me so. Jay-Z once approached me and said, “You’re our voice.” A lot of hip-hop listeners understand that MCs bring me onto their tracks because they believe I’ll contribute something distinctive. … I’m proud that hip-hop has played such a significant role in my legacy and body of work.
AP: Why is it important to revisit “Imitation of Life” now, given its focus on race and identity?
LEGEND: We were drawn to the challenge of telling the story as Black creatives and placing Delilah, the Black woman at its center, in a way she had never been centered before. Turning a story that had not previously been a musical into one was another compelling challenge. It gave us the chance to explore a fascinating period in our musical and cultural history: the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz Age.
AP: At this point in your career, what feels more frightening: taking a creative risk 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.
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