Audible will be spotlighting two R&B powerhouses — John Legend and Brandy — for its final “Words + Music” volumes of 2022, which pairs an original performance with a personal memoir. Legend’s “Living Legend” will debut on Oct. 3, followed by Brandy’s “A New Moon,” to be released on Dec. 2.
Legend, who is set to release his eighth studio album on Sept. 9, will tell the story of his career in full — recounting the setbacks and triumphs that turned a home-schooled kid in the church choir into an EGOT-winner and multi-platinum recording artist.
In “Living Legend,” performed live at the legendary jazz club Ronnie Scott’s in London, the soul-pop singer reflects on how “faith, freedom, and love have followed him throughout his life.” Additionally, Legend will discuss his earliest career struggles and how his creative connection with Kanye West ultimately birthed his stage name.
“Music has always been how I express emotion and how I spread love and compassion,” commented Legend. “I hope that hearing the stories behind my music gives the songs a deeper meaning. It has been a fulfilling and wonderful experience to revisit these times in my life.”
Brandy also joins the slate with a conversation on the pressures attached to teenage fame, young superstardom and self-doubt. “A New Moon” is said to be a stripped-back look at the R&B singer’s personal experiences, prevails and the traumas that shaped her. Written and conceived by Brandy with veteran writer Gerrick Kennedy, the segment is described as “an intimate and bracingly raw meditation on power and purpose from one of the most influential singers of all time.”
Legend and Brandy join an extensive list of artists who have created “Words + Music” originals for Audible including Carlos Santana, Tenacious D, Beck, Pete Townshend, Eddie Vedder, Chuck D, Liz Phair and Alice Cooper, among many others.
“We are thrilled to welcome two more beloved artists to the ‘Words + Music’ vault. When curating our ‘Words + Music’ roster, we are not only looking for accomplished musicians, but also artists who move us; artists that have defined a generation and captured the pop culture zeitgeist. John Legend and Brandy have each made their mark on the Billboard charts, but more importantly on our hearts and souls,” shared Zola Mashariki, head of Audible Studios.
Previously announced artists set to release “Words + Music” originals in 2023 include Mariah Carey, Aimee Mann and yasiin bey.
