Following his first Golden Globe win, for the track “Glory” from the film “Selma,” John Legend, along with his fellow songwriter Common, are favored to win their very first Oscar. But before Legend gets there, he stopped by Sundance to perform a few Nina Simone covers following the world premiere of “What Happened Miss Simone?” Next up, Legend will perform at the Grammys, where he’ll also vie for the Best Pop Solo Performance trophy. He also recently teamed up with Axe to form the White Label Collective in order to help bring out and mentor aspiring artists. Legend sat down with HuffPost Entertainment to discuss the “Selma” snubs at the Oscars, working with Axe and writing his next album.
You recently won a Golden Globe for your song “Glory” with Common, and the track earned an Oscar nomination. How much more weight do these honors hold that the song is a part of “Selma”?
Well, anytime you are nominated or awarded, it’s a huge a thing. But I think it makes it even more special being a part of “Selma.” You know, the film is so important, and I feel so connected to the material of the film just having grown up inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King and the great work of the Civil Rights Movement. Ava DuVernay did such a beautiful job rendering that in a way that was really powerful and poignant, and really inspiring and relevant to what’s happening in America and the world right now. Having a song that was able to add to that and help bring attention to that film is such a huge honor for me, and a huge honor for Common, and we’re just so grateful for having this opportunity.
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What’s your ideal situation for writing?
I love to write in the studio, actually. I write there and then record a demo version, and a lot of times I will revise the arrangement and maybe recut the vocals later. But I still like to write in the studio because it makes me feel like I’m at work, I’m focused, I can’t, like, stop and watch TV or any other stuff. Going into the studio just gets me focused and it’s where I get the most work done.
