John Legend knows a thing or two about a great wedding song. But while his classics like “All Of Me” and “Ordinary People” are perfect for first dances, his new single “A Good Night” is guaranteed to be every wedding DJ’s go-to jam to get the two-stepping started this summer.
But what makes the tune even better is the video, which is just as romantic and joyful as the track. As Legend croons lyrics like "Everything's gonna be alright/I think I just met my wife," we watch as two people at a party "swipe" on each other, bringing together the ideas of online dating and IRL meet cutes. I won't spoil the adorable end for you, but let's just say the visual makes it pretty clear that "A Good Night" was intended to be a wedding dance song.
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Fresh off rave reviews of his performance in the live NBC musical Jesus Christ Superstar, I talked to Legend about his new single and video, how he and wife Chrissy Teigen are finding quality time with a nearly 2-year-old daughter, Luna, and a baby on the way, and his advice for anyone looking for love. Plus, you can check out the video for "A Good Night" — which features cameos from Insecure's Jay Ellis, Susan Kelechi from This Is Us, and Yara Shahidi — below.
Refinery29: There’s a lot of negativity in the world right now, but this song feels like just the kind of delightful moment we need. Was that purposeful?
John Legend: "Yea, you know, when I started writing again after I got off tour late last year, this was the first song that I wrote. It was on my mind to write something joyous and celebratory, and when I started playing it for people, it gave so them joy. So it definitely felt like something people needed right now."
John Legend: "Yea, you know, when I started writing again after I got off tour late last year, this was the first song that I wrote. It was on my mind to write something joyous and celebratory, and when I started playing it for people, it gave so them joy. So it definitely felt like something people needed right now."
How did the concept of the video come about? Because I loved the idea of seeing people "swiping" each other in real life.
"The whole idea behind the song is that when you least expect it, you could find someone that could change your life, you know? So it was kind of looking at the idea of dating and how people date today. A lot of that obviously is with apps, but hey, it still can happen in person. So we merged the the two ideas into this fun, fictional club."
"The whole idea behind the song is that when you least expect it, you could find someone that could change your life, you know? So it was kind of looking at the idea of dating and how people date today. A lot of that obviously is with apps, but hey, it still can happen in person. So we merged the the two ideas into this fun, fictional club."
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I loved seeing you as the DJ, spinning the tunes for this couple that's trying to find love. Did you purposely want to be the secondary character and make it more about someone else's love story?
"Yea, definitely. I think people are so invested in my relationship with Chrissy, and this song and video is about meeting someone new. So I felt like it would be cooler to feature another couple and let it be about them, rather than me and Chrissy, because people have seen us so many times in videos by now. It’s more about new love and celebration."
"Yea, definitely. I think people are so invested in my relationship with Chrissy, and this song and video is about meeting someone new. So I felt like it would be cooler to feature another couple and let it be about them, rather than me and Chrissy, because people have seen us so many times in videos by now. It’s more about new love and celebration."
A lot of people do feel like in this dating app age, it's too overwhelming to try to find love. What’s your advice for anyone who feels like they'll never find "The One?"
"It’s crazy because, I never dated on an app — Chrissy and I started dating before people were doing that. So it’s definitely a new world, but I think there’s a lot of things that are still timeless. I mean, love is timeless, and and you can find that connection with someone whether it’s on an app or not. The technology changes, but there are so many things about the human spirit that will never change. So I'd just encourage people to stay positive and be open. And hopefully when they’re ready, they’ll find the person they’re meant to connect with, however they find them."
"It’s crazy because, I never dated on an app — Chrissy and I started dating before people were doing that. So it’s definitely a new world, but I think there’s a lot of things that are still timeless. I mean, love is timeless, and and you can find that connection with someone whether it’s on an app or not. The technology changes, but there are so many things about the human spirit that will never change. So I'd just encourage people to stay positive and be open. And hopefully when they’re ready, they’ll find the person they’re meant to connect with, however they find them."
I guess not everyone is so lucky to meet their future wife on the set of their music video!
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"[Laughs] Yeah, I guess that’s not really realistic for everybody! But a lot of people do meet in work situations. I think it's all about being open."
I appreciated that the song started with the lyric “I had no intention of getting fucked up tonight,” because that's how so many nights turn out for many of us. When was the last night that you got unexpectedly fucked up?
"Well...[laughs] I gotta think, because we don’t really go out as much anymore! This song is more about younger John! But probably the last time we went all out was my friend’s wedding a few months ago...actually, it was almost a year ago now that I think about it! So yeah, it's probably been a good year since the last time we really wiled out."
"Well...[laughs] I gotta think, because we don’t really go out as much anymore! This song is more about younger John! But probably the last time we went all out was my friend’s wedding a few months ago...actually, it was almost a year ago now that I think about it! So yeah, it's probably been a good year since the last time we really wiled out."
My favorite part of the chorus is the line "I think you might be my wife." Do you remember the first time you had that thought about your wife now?
"I don’t know the exact moment, actually. I’ve had friends that said the day they met their wife, they knew she was gonna be their wife. And I have other friends who kinda grew into it. Chrissy and I definitely grew into it — we started to learn each other, and then I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I think everybody comes to it differently, but at some point in Chrissy and I’s relationship, I just knew that I wanted to build a life with her and be with her forever. You know, have babies and all that!"
"I don’t know the exact moment, actually. I’ve had friends that said the day they met their wife, they knew she was gonna be their wife. And I have other friends who kinda grew into it. Chrissy and I definitely grew into it — we started to learn each other, and then I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I think everybody comes to it differently, but at some point in Chrissy and I’s relationship, I just knew that I wanted to build a life with her and be with her forever. You know, have babies and all that!"
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So romantic! Speaking of babies, do you think it's going to be even harder to squeeze in the kind of sexy date nights this song and video remind us of when you have a second baby?
"I think we’ve learned pretty well how to balance being parents and also focus on ourselves as a couple. We have Chrissy’s mother around, and a nanny, and other people that help us out. You have to make time, so we make time to go out on dates and vacations and spend time with just each other. But I hear having a second baby makes things a little harder."
"I think we’ve learned pretty well how to balance being parents and also focus on ourselves as a couple. We have Chrissy’s mother around, and a nanny, and other people that help us out. You have to make time, so we make time to go out on dates and vacations and spend time with just each other. But I hear having a second baby makes things a little harder."
You’re juggling so much right now. How do you find to get your creative juices going and write new music?
"I usually write when I get off of tour. So when I’m done, I come back and get in the studio and start writing. This was literally the first song I wrote when I came back from the tour in November. I sat in the studio with Bloodpop the producer, and a couple of other really great songwriters, and we were all bouncing ideas off each other. It definitely feels like a wedding song, so we wanted the video to go there and not try to be too subtle about it."
"I usually write when I get off of tour. So when I’m done, I come back and get in the studio and start writing. This was literally the first song I wrote when I came back from the tour in November. I sat in the studio with Bloodpop the producer, and a couple of other really great songwriters, and we were all bouncing ideas off each other. It definitely feels like a wedding song, so we wanted the video to go there and not try to be too subtle about it."
Do you play new music for Luna?
"I play her new music all the time! Right now her thing is when we play her stuff, after the song is done, she always claps and says 'Yay!'"
"I play her new music all the time! Right now her thing is when we play her stuff, after the song is done, she always claps and says 'Yay!'"
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I can't handle the cuteness! So, you just came off of Jesus Christ Superstar, and you have a new single and video. Will there be a new album? What’s next for John Legend?
"I’m gonna go back in the studio soon and write some new songs and hopefully have another album out by the end of the year. In the meantime, I wanted to give my fans this song. I felt like it had to be out this summer with the kind of vibe that it has, so I didn’t want to wait until the rest of the album was done. I figured let’s put it out now, because right now we all just need something that feels good."
"I’m gonna go back in the studio soon and write some new songs and hopefully have another album out by the end of the year. In the meantime, I wanted to give my fans this song. I felt like it had to be out this summer with the kind of vibe that it has, so I didn’t want to wait until the rest of the album was done. I figured let’s put it out now, because right now we all just need something that feels good."
Watch the video for "A Good Night" below.