John Legend was rejected by "every major record label" when he tried to break into the music industry.
John Legend on NOTION magazine
The 37-year-old singer songwriter - who first signed to Kanye West's record label GOOD Music - has admitted he struggled to make it in the music industry when he first started out as a musician but was persistent in the hope of securing a record deal.
Speaking in Issue 74 of NOTION magazine, the 'Ordinary People' hitmaker said: "I got turned down by every major record label who I met with - including Sony [Legend's current record label] - and you know, I had to keep persisting despite the no's and wait till I got to yes."
However, Legend - who released his debut album 'Get Lifted' in 2004 - has admitted he thinks it was "helpful" he became famous when he had matured into an adult because he was already aware of the "real world".
He explained: "I think it was helpful for me to become famous when I was an adult already; I was twenty-six years old. I think it's harder for people that become famous when they're a lot younger because you never had to be an adult without being in this very unrealistic world. It is unrealistic if you don't know what the real world is like and me having lived in the real world for a while was very helpful."
Meanwhile Legend - who is set to release his new single 'Love Me Now', which will be the first track unveiled from his upcoming fifth studio album - has teased his forthcoming LP has more of a "live band sound".
He said: "I don't think it's a dramatic change.
"That's what we focused on; trying to write great songs that told my story. It's a bit more of a live band sound than previous albums, we used a live drummer more than we used to, so on a sonic side that's one of the biggest differences, it gives it a more soulful feel I think."
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