My Favorite Dream
My Favorite Dream is the first children's album and tenth studio album by American singer John Legend. It was released on August 30, 2024, through John Legend Music Inc. and Republic Records. The album includes the single "L-O-V-E". It follows up his 2022 album [Legend (John Legend (John Legend album)|Legend album)|Legend].
The album is entirely produced by Sufjan Stevens.
Background and conception
My Favorite Dream marks Legend's first entry into children's music. Legend stated his idea for the album came from learning the Fisher-Price song "Maybe" on the piano. Chrissy Teigen, his spouse, uploaded a video of Legend playing and singing "Maybe" to one of their children. The warm reception from Legend's fans inspired him to start creating children's music: "I kind of took it as a challenge, not to just cover some songs kids already knew and loved, but to try to create something new. So, I wrote nine new original songs and made a whole album of it."Artwork
The album cover features a picture of Legend from his childhood, with childlike drawings in the margins.Promotion
The lead single from the album "L-O-V-E" was published on August 9, 2024.On September 4, 2024, Legend performed "Always Come Back" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
On September 26, the official video for "Always Come Back" was uploaded to Legend's YouTube channel.
Legend collaborated with social media educater, Ms. Rachel, on a
Sing-A-Longs rendition of "L-O-V-E".
Accolades
In November 2024 it was announced that the album had received a nomination for Best Children's Music Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards.Personnel
Musicians- John Legend – lead vocals, background vocals, piano
- Sufjan Stevens – background vocals, drums, percussion, piano ; celesta, acoustic guitar, vibraphone, drum machine, bagpipes ; alto recorder, tenor recorder ; sopranino recorder, recorder, ukulele, electric guitar, electric bass, banjo, keyboards ; conga, drum programming
- Hannah Cohen – background vocals
- Keenan O'Meara – background vocals
- Megan Lui – background vocals
- David Nelson – trombone, flugelhorn, tuba, trumpet, horn
- Matt Bauder – flute, tenor saxophone ; baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone
- David Lizmi – electric bass, double bass
- Parker Kindred – drums
- Chris Thile – mandolin
- Kay Manee – background vocals
- Natalie Imani – background vocals
- Erick Walls – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Liam Cunningham – background vocals
- Sima Cunningham – background vocals
- Macie Stewart – background vocals
- Kaveh Rastegar – bass
- Munyungo Jackson – percussion
- Sam Evian – electric guitar
- Chrissy Teigen – background vocals
- Miles Stephens – background vocals
- Luna Stephens – background vocals
- Matt Jones Orchestra – chamber orchestra
- Hakeem Holloway – bass
- Abby Gundersen – cello, viola, violin
- Maeve Gilchrist – harp
- Sean Mullins – drums
- Matt Jones – piano
- Clare Manchon – background vocals, clapping
- Ernestine Manchon – background vocals, clapping
- Gustave Manchon – background vocals, clapping
- Olivier Manchon – orchestration, background vocals, clapping, keyboards ; viola, violin ; strings, vibraphone
- Gail Ann Dorsey – background vocals, bass
- James McAlister – drums, percussion
- Thomas Deis – guitar
- Hideaki Aomori – woodwinds
- Anita Balázs – cello
- Anthea White – background vocals
- Mark Palmer – background vocals
- Vicente Archer – bass
- Jacqueline Kerrod – harp
- Sufjan Stevens – production
- John Legend – production
- Clare Manchon – production, engineering, recording arrangement
- Olivier Manchon – production, engineering, recording arrangement
- Dave Kutch – mastering
- Serban Ghenea – [Audio Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing (recorded music)|mixing]
- Tim McClain – engineering
- Billy Hickey – engineering
- Sufjan Stevens – engineering
- Fabio Patrignani – engineering
- Patrick Dillon Curry – engineering
- Sam Evian – engineering
- James McAlister – engineering
- Pete Rende – engineering
- Thomas Deis – engineering
- Alex Venguer – engineering
- Hideaki Aomori – engineering
- Gail Ann Dorsey – engineering
- Jacqueline Kerrod – engineering
- Kendrick Scott – engineering
- Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance
- Matt Jones – string arrangement