John Legend reflects on his early career, songwriting process, upcoming album, and more

“I still love making music; I love the creative process,” John Legend tells us.

“I’m constantly motivated to continue to be creative, innovative, and productive as an artist. I can’t imagine not doing it. I can’t imagine not wanting to write music, and I can’t imagine not wanting to play live for my fans—so I don’t see this stopping anytime soon.”

Have you ever wondered how an artist like John Legend got to where he is, and how he continues to stay inspired after all of these years? In celebration of the release of John Legend: Ordinary People Piano—a virtual piano that captures the intimate, expressive tone behind John’s most beloved songs—we had the opportunity to sit down with the soul and R&B icon for an in-depth conversation about the key moments that have shaped his career.

Join us as he shares his insights and stories on getting his start performing for Lauryn Hill, to breaking through with G.O.O.D. Music, to now reflecting on the legacy of “Ordinary People” during his 20th anniversary tour. He also gives an exclusive look at his upcoming Pharrell-produced album, sharing how he continues to evolve his sound over two decades into his career.

What was your favorite moment from the conversation? Who would you like to see featured on our next episode? Start a conversation with us and an ever-growing community of music creators via the Splice Discord, and subscribe to the Splice YouTube channel for more installments of Ctrl+B.


Get John Legend’s Ordinary People Piano today:

November 26, 2025

Harrison Shimazu

Harrison Shimazu is a composer, content strategist, and writer who’s passionate about democratizing music creation and education. He leads the Splice blog and produces vocaloid music as Namaboku.