John Legend articulated his songwriting journey, crediting persistent practice and collaboration for his longevity in the industry.
“The more you write the better you get at it. It’s such a good thing to go to the well a bunch of times, and everything you make is not going to be amazing,” John Legend said.
The EGOT recipient, who has crafted hits for two decades, highlighted the role of repetition in fostering creativity.
“The more you go to that well the more likelihood that you’re going to come up with something special,” he explained.
John Legend, known for his collaborations with artists like Kanye West and Alicia Keys, underlined the significance of teamwork in his process.
He pointed out that working with others can “help spark that idea that’s going to change your life.”
Reflecting on his career, John Legend added, “A lot of my biggest songs have been collaborations.”
He elaborated on how these partnerships shape his creative direction.
“Even though I’m still responsible for a lot of the creative content that comes out of those co-writing sessions I believe a lot of those songs wouldn’t have happened if I weren’t in the room with somebody else that sparked the idea and pushed me in a certain direction,” he said.
Legend also spoke about the importance of humility in creativity, advising aspiring songwriters to acknowledge their own limitations.
“Creatives should be humble enough to realize that they don’t know everything,” he noted. “Pick the brains of people who are experts at what they’re experts at and know what you bring to the table but also know what your deficiencies are.”