John Legend sees a lot of "darkness in the world" around him.
The 37-year-old singer is gearing up to release his fifth studio album ‘Darkness and Light’ on Friday (02.12.16), and has said he came up with the title after realising the amount of "pain and conflict" in the world, but says the "desire to find light" compliments that darker side.
Speaking to the new issue of Jocks&Nerds magazine – of which he is the cover star – the ‘All of Me’ hitmaker said: "While ‘Darkness and Light’ is the name of one of the songs, those words kept coming back to me. There’s a lot of darkness in the world, pain and conflict. But the album also represents the desire to find light, optimism, love and joy in the midst of all that."
And the ‘Love Me Now’ singer says his approach to singing about "love in a broader sense" comes from the inspiration he draws from artists such as Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers.
He added: "I look to artists like Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers for inspiration more than any other artists. I consider myself to be someone who is part of a legacy, but doing it in my own way.
"They sang about love and relationships in a really beautiful, sensual way, but they also sang about love in a broader sense: love for mankind, love for justice and love for peace."
Meanwhile, the ‘Tonight’ musician – who shares seven-month-old daughter Luna with his wife Chrissy Teigen – believes a lot of the world’s "darkness" will come after current US President Barack Obama steps down from office to allow President-Elect Donald Trump to move into the White House.
John said: "I think people are already missing the way they (Barack and Michelle) conducted themselves in office. Particularly when you compare them, especially with Trump and how tawdry so much of the campaign has been. I think people are appreciating how scandal-free [Obama’s] Presidency has been and, like I say, appreciating him more and more."
John’s full interview in Jocks&Nerds magazine is available now.
John Legend believes there’s a lot of ‘darkness in the world’
