MasterClass Announces John Legend to Teach Songwriting

MasterClass Announces John Legend to Teach Songwriting

In anticipation of his upcoming album, “Legend,” the 12-time Grammy Award winner shares his process for writing songs that inspire and impact the world

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that John Legend will teach a class on songwriting. In his class, Legend will break down his songwriting process from start to finish, giving members a framework for finding their voice and writing with purpose. Legend will also give members a firsthand look into the creation of his song “Free,” which he first performed at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in April. The class is available now exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 150+ instructors with an annual membership.

“John’s ability to craft songs that resonate in both intimate moments and timely movements makes him one of the most accomplished songwriters of the time,” said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. “In his class, he brings members into his songwriting process, teaching them how to use their own experiences to write songs that have the ability to change the world.”

In his class, Legend teaches members how to capture experiences, convey feelings and inspire a movement through music. Using his hit songs “All of Me,” “Again” and “Dope” as case studies, he shares how he uses mumble tracks to write melodies and how he structures songs to tell a story. Whether members want to write about intimate moments or start a movement, Legend will help them find inspiration in the world around them and turn their personal experiences into unique songs. To demonstrate how to use music to spark movement, Legend provides a behind-the-scenes look into his writing process for the Oscar-winning song “Glory” for the film Selma. He will also walk members through the importance of being a strong collaborator, as well as how to blend musical genres and record background vocals. He’ll also provide tips for performing live. After taking members through the creation of “Free,” Legend ends the class with a powerful performance of the song with a gospel choir. Members will come away with a framework for creating songs that capture personal moments and speak to timely events to inspire action.

“Songs are core to who we are and are such an important part of humanity,” Legend said. “My class will give you the tools to find your voice, figure out who you are and establish yourself with longevity so you can make a real impact through music.”

Multi-platinum artist John Legend has garnered 12 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award, making him the first Black man to earn an EGOT. During the course of his career, Legend has released seven celebrated albums; his eighth studio album, Legend, will be released Sept. 9. Last weekend, Legend began the second leg of his critically acclaimed Las Vegas residency, entitled “Love in Las Vegas,” which runs through October at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. This fall, Legend will also return to NBC’s popular singing competition The Voice, where he has served as a coach since 2019.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass

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MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world’s best come together so anyone, anywhere, can access and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. With an annual membership, members get unprecedented access to 150+ instructors and classes across a wide variety of fields, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Nas’ recording studio, Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen and go behind the big screen with James Cameron. Design your career with Elaine Welteroth, get ready to win with Lewis Hamilton, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn and discover at a pace that best serves your lifestyle—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge, on mobile, tablet, desktop, Android™ TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku® players and devices. Cinematic visuals and close-up demonstrations make you feel like you’re one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable class guides help reinforce your learning. For those looking to learn by doing, Sessions by MasterClass offers a structured, 30-day curriculum where members can roll up their sleeves, get hands-on and learn meaningful skills through step-by-step guidance from world-class instructors and an active community of peers. With MasterClass at Work, companies can keep their employees engaged and boost morale and motivation with immersive, short-form lessons from the world’s best.

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SOURCE MasterClass