John Legend’s “Bigger Love” Speaks Volumes About What the World Needs: Love

 Katerina Rodriguez/Staff Writer

On this culturally relevant and significant holiday, Juneteenth, John Legend released his sixth studio album, Bigger Love. The album cover speaks volumes for its unapologetic hymn to black beauty and a bigger message on love. 

Bigger Love features sixteen songs and five collaborations with soulful black artists including Koffee, Jhene Aiko, Rapsody, Camper and Gary Clark Jr. 

At a time when black people are being shown on the media expressing emotions of pain and anger, rightfully so, this album doesn’t attempt to cure the world of its problems, but to show the fullness of what it means to be black and human. 

Celebrating the message of love, Legend ditches his typical ballad for a jazzier sound, celebrating liberal versatility. In the song “Conversations in the Dark,” Legend speaks to the boundaryless love that finds its way among people and that despite it all, he will continue to love “you” without trying to change “you.” this “you” can represent his history and his people. 

In a similar sound to the doo-wop classic by the Flamingos, “I Only Have Eyes for You,” the first track of the album, “ooh Laa,” sets the tone for the album’s sensuality, love, joy, hope, and strength to follow.

Legend also seeks to include the history of his people by speaking of them in a sweet memory, rather than a mournful tragedy. This is heard particularly in “Remember Us,” where American Rapper, Rapsody, speaks conscientiously about prominent, important figures in black history, including Kobe, Nipsey and Notorious B.I.G. This powerful melodic song paints a memory, urging the remembrance of these incredible and inspirational figures that still speak volumes today.

This album transcends previous sounds and replaces them with free love. Bigger Love, truly lives by its name, all the while serving our society a reminder that love is bigger than hate and has the power to unify, and strengthen communities. 

While driving alone in your car or having an intimate meal with a partner, Bigger Love, asks us to look beyond the current climate in our country, and instead, remember the beauty and black excellence that has strengthened the community for so long, and continues to fight against the hatred in present day with a love stronger and more powerful than racism.

The songs, “I Do,” and  “Wild (feat. Gary Clark Jr.),” encourage looking beyond differences, and shedding love despite it. Similar to the motif of the album, love is a universal theme that can reach from the stars to the furthest point on Earth and humans hold the power to share it.  

The final song of the album, “Never Break,” is arguably in my opinion, the most powerful track on Bigger Love. A

n anthem for all black people, a message that has spoken true for the community since the earliest of times, love has bound them to one another. No matter what hate is thrown in their direction, no matter what attempts to silence them are made, Legend speaks of how his people will never break and their love is their strength. He speaks of how he is not worried about him or his people, because they have shown time and time again the strength and power their foundation is built on, the love they hold, and the ability to stand and demand change to history.

On this Juneteenth Day, the message Legend leaves in his album speaks volumes about what this world needs more of.

That is, what our society needs to remember, the universal right of all human beings to be treated equally. To be seen equally. To commemorate the message that on this day in 1865, those held as slaves in the United States were liberated because they refused to break and will continue to do so until their lives matter the same as everyone else’s.

Rating: 10/10

Be the first to comment on "John Legend’s “Bigger Love” Speaks Volumes About What the World Needs: Love"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*