Story and main photo by Faye Pablo
“Legend is just a name—
I know better than to be so proud;
I won’t drink in all this fame,
I’ll take more love than I’m allowed”
– I Know Better (Darkness and Light, 2016)
I HAVE a confession to make.
Even before his second concert in Manila on March 21, I was not a big fan of John Legend, having known just a few of his hits such as Ordinary People and All of Me. Luckily, I was given a chance to watch this vocal and piano virtuoso when he came to town the second time around at the Araneta Coliseum.
Not being one of his biggest, let alone avid, followers, let me share with you what it felt like to see and experience a musical “legend,” (John Roger Stephens in real life) perform in the flesh:
Legend, I found out, is one of those performers whose presence is enough to “wow” the crowd. He opened his repertoire with his song, I Know Better. His Filipino fans welcomed him with loud, electrifying screams filled with love and excitement.
This master of the keyboard is one, sexy “beast”—so sexy all the women in the crowd were “fan-girling” over him. To see Legend perform one of his sensual ditties, Tonight (Best You Ever Had), was such a rare privilege.
Aside from displaying his singing prowess and vocal chops, he also teased his admiring audience with his graceful and seductive body gyrations. He even invited a lucky fan to come up onstage, shimmy and be serenaded by his enthralling voice.
All heart, sincerity
AND, one thing I also found out was that Legend makes one feel in-love. His music and lyrics transcend age, gender or religion. To hear All of Me and You and I (Nobody in the world) rendered live is one of the best things that could ever happen to a person, especially when he or she is in the spell of the heart (made extra special if you were with the love of your life!).
His heartfelt performances were very palpable to those caught in the rapture of romance. He dished out his songs with all heart and all sincerity that I was just staring at him all throughout his entire performance (all these transpired while my boyfriend hugged me tightly as the crooner was into his All of Me (from his 2013 release, Love in the Future).
All these lyrics provided a higher dimension of finer feelings. I commit them here to print as I was mesmerized long after the concert: “’Coz all of me, loves all of you/ Love your curves and all your edges/ All your perfect imperfections…”
Soul-striking
LEGEND’s lyrics hit you right in the soul. Imagine a dark room with only a fluorescent light on and him sitting there, doing the thing he does best with the grand piano, and singing “Beauty and the Beast.” A room filled only with the sound from the piano and Legend’s soulful, enticing voice.
I was in awe the whole time. I allowed each note to descend on my skin and penetrate deep into the recesses of my soul.
I felt pure and unadulterated love, with the thought of Belle and the Beast finding forever in each other’s arms.
No doubt, John Legend is a LEGEND. His kind of music is the best way to tell the whole world your current feelings or the meanderings of your mind. Inspired by all the events happening around the world: the bombings in Syria, the tensions between North and South Korea (well, they’ve simmered down since—thank heavens) as well as the discrimination and racism still prevalent in many societies, the singer/songwriter started and ended his concert with his song Glory (2015), which talks about how our good Lord, Our Loving Father, will save us from all the travails of this life:
“Welcome to the story we call victory: The comin’ of the Lord, my eyes have seen the glory.” After seeing his concert and watching him dish out a fine performance, I realized that this guy has rightfully carved his name into the musical consciousness of many. He deserves a million applauses for making the world a better place to live through his songs.
He has earned another fan in me.
Image credits: Faye Pablo