John Legend revealed the cover art and track list for his upcoming seventh studio album, Bigger Love, on Friday (June 12).
Painted by artist Charly Palmer, the artwork features a smiling portrait of the singer-songwriter covered in blooming flowers and a starry sky against a pop of turquoise backdrop. The LP’s 16 tracks include singles “Conversations in the Dark,” “Actions” and the title track, as well as collaborations with Gary Clark Jr. (“Wild”), Jhené Aiko (“U Move, I Move”), Rapsody (“Remember Us”) and more.
“The songs are inspired by the loves of my life: my wife, my family and the rich tradition of black music that has made me the artist I am,” Legend said in a statement. “All of these songs were created prior to the world being rocked by a pandemic, prior to the latest police killings in the U.S. that sent so many to the streets in protest. During these painful times, some of us may wonder if it’s ok to laugh or dance or be romantic. Lately, the images of black people in the media have been showing us with knees on our necks, in mourning, or expressing our collective outrage. We feel all those emotions.”
The EGOT winner continued: “But It’s important for us to continue to show the world the fullness of what it is to be black and human. Through our art, we are able to do that. This album is a celebration of love, joy, sensuality, hope, and resilience, the things that make our culture so beautiful and influential. I’m under no illusion that music can save the world or solve the world’s problems, but I’ve always turned to music to help me through tough times and I know many of you have done the same. That’s why I couldn’t wait to release this album to the world.”
Bigger Love is set for release on June 19 via Columbia Records. Check out the cover art and full track list below.