John Legend releases Muse, first full album produced by Pharrell Williams

Singer John Legend has released his eleventh studio album, titled ‘Muse’, marking his first full-length collaboration with producer Pharrell Williams following a 20-year friendship. The 16-track project features a diverse range of genres, including gospel, soul, Afrobeat, and hip hop, described as having a ‘Black James Bond’ aesthetic.

Recorded primarily at Williams’ studio within the Louis Vuitton headquarters in Paris, the album represents a stylistic shift for the EGOT-winning artist. At Williams’ suggestion, Legend adopts a more conversational vocal delivery on several tracks, moving away from the powerhouse piano ballads that defined much of his earlier career.

In addition to the new album, Legend discussed his expansion into musical theater, noting that he is composing the original stage score for the off-Broadway musical ‘Imitation of Life’, which is set to open at The Shed in New York in December.