Bigger Love
Bigger Love is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician John Legend. It was released on June 19, 2020, through Columbia Records. The album includes the singles "Conversations in the Dark", "Actions", "Bigger Love", and "Wild". The album won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. The album was further promoted by a limited North American tour leg that began on September 1, 2021, after several stops on the original US and UK tour itinerary were either postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
Bigger Love was written mostly in 2019. Recording for the album finished in February 2020. Legend stated he hoped the album would bring joy and be uplifting in light of the George Floyd protests that were taking place during the album's release. He released the cover art and track listing on June 12, a week before the release.Artwork
The cover art was painted by artist Charly "Carlos" Palmer. The piece features a smiling portrait of the singer-songwriter covered in blooming flowers and a starry sky against a pop of turquoise backdrop.Singles
Three singles were put out before the album was released. "Conversations in the Dark" was released on January 10, 2020. "Actions" was released on March 20. Legend performed "Actions" on The Tonight Show. The title track, "Bigger Love", was released on April 17, 2020. "Wild", a collaboration with American musician Gary Clark Jr., was released on August 13, 2020.Critical reception
The album received generally mixed reviews from critics. Rolling Stone rated the album 3.5/5 stars, stating that the album's "self-aware" themes fit well with the current environment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rated R&B recognized the album on its 30 Best R&B Albums of 2020 list, stating, "Bigger Love celebrates everlasting love as John Legend serenades with soothing falsettos, bold instrumentation, and groovy new sounds."Personnel
Musicians
- John Legend – lead vocals, background vocals, piano, additional keyboards
- Oak – additional background vocals ; background vocals, keyboards, drum programming
- Alex Nice – additional background vocals ; background vocals, keyboards
- Keith "Ten4" Sorrells – additional background vocals ; background vocals, keyboards, drum programming
- Cautious Clay – background vocals, bass, saxophone
- Jamelle Adisa – horns ; horn arrangement, trumpet, fluegelhorn
- Natalie Imani – background vocals, ad-lib vocals
- Ayana George – background vocals
- Keri Lee – background vocals
- Raphael Saadiq – guitar, bass, additional bass
- Garrison Brown – additional drums, drums
- Matt Jones Orchestra – orchestra
- * Matt Jones – string arrangement
- * Stephanie Matthews – violin
- * Caitlin Edwards – violin
- * Clayton Penrose-Whitmore – violin
- * Scott Tixier – violin
- * Drew Forde – viola
- * Tahirah Whittington – cello
- Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman – additional bass, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, string arrangement
- Anderson.Paak – drums
- Pete Kelleher – background vocals, keyboards, synthesizers
- Ben Kohn – background vocals, bass
- Sam Roman – background vocals
- Jake Torrey – background vocals, guitar
- Gary Clark Jr. – guitar solo
- Tom Barnes – drums, programming
- Di Genius – guitar, programming
- Trey Campbell – background vocals
- Jhené Aiko – lead vocals
- Nate Mercereau – guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, French horn, string arrangement
- Steve Wyreman – guitar, keyboards
- Shaina Evoniuk – strings
- Pom Pom – background vocals, bass, programming
- Gregg Wattenberg – background vocals, guitar, bass
- Jesse Fink – background vocals
- Chance Peña – background vocals
- Mia Wattenberg – background vocals
- Danae Greenfield – piano
- Benzi Ezelson – piano
- Koffee – lead vocals, background vocals
- Rapsody – rap vocals
- Scott Mayo – horn arrangement, flute, alto flute
- Danny "Ezra" Murdock – live drums, drum programming
- Eric Hudson – additional instrumentation
- Peter Lee Johnson – additional strings
- Curtis Hudson – guitar
- Camper – background vocals
- Tayla Parx – background vocals
- Dmitry Gorodetsky – upright bass
- Greg Wells – piano, Hammond organ
- Mr Hudson – programming, string arrangement, percussion, guitar
- Nasri Atweh – background vocals
- Mau Montaner – lead vocals
- Ricky Montaner – lead vocals
Technical
- Mike Bozzi – mastering
- Gerry "The Gov" Brown – mixing (recorded music)|mixing]
- Bobby Campbell – mixing
- Ricky Reed – mixing
- Matt Becks – mixing
- Greg Wells – mixing
- Oak Felder – engineering
- Hotae Alexander Jang – engineering, John Legend vocal engineering, additional engineering, engineering assistance
- Jhair "Jha" Lazo – engineering
- TMS – engineering
- Rich Rich – engineering
- Lias – engineering
- Ethan Shumaker – engineering
- Nate Mercereau – engineering
- Anthony Kilhoffer – engineering
- Leo Bescotti – engineering
- Richard Biethan – engineering
- Tim McClain – engineering
- Gregg Rominiecki – Jhené Aiko vocal engineering
- Danny Johnson – mixing assistance
- Theo Wayland – mixing assistance
- Sean Massih – mixing assistance
- Kyle Metcalfe – mixing assistance
- Keith "Ten4" Sorrells – engineering assistance
- Natalie Ranalli – engineering assistance
- Charlie Marshall – engineering assistance
Visuals
- Rob English – creative direction
- Chris Feldmann – art direction, design
- Don Baker – art direction, design, hand painted signs
- Ricardo Bojorquez – design, layout
- Charly Palmer – cover and landscape painting
- Nurse Signs – hand painted signs
- Doug Inglish – photography