Superstar John Legend performed an acoustic set for over 100,000 fans Tuesday on Instagram, also using the opportunity to raise awareness for coronavirus relief as the economy threatens to plunge into a recession. After the virtual concert, Legend opened up about how he and his family are dealing with the precautions put in place to prevent the virus’ spread.
While Legend admitted that the disruption to his life was noticeable because he can no longer be “playing or singing or performing in front of large groups of people,” he put his massive platform to good use.
“We listed some food banks and other organizations that people could help,” Legend told “CBS This Morning” co-host Anthony Mason after his performance. “A lot of folks will be struggling in the next few months at least, and so we need to be mindful of all those people. And most people don’t have a large cushion to handle a loss of work for months at a time, and so I think we all need to come together as a society, as a community, as a nation, as a globe to support those people.”
The music session’s message, according to Legend, was “as much as you can, stay home and stay away from physical contact with other people. And then secondly, if you have the means to help support other people that are going through a tougher time than you are, then try to do so.”
During the nearly hour-long free concert, the singer was joined by his wife Chrissy Teigen, dressed casually in a bath towel, and his 3-year-old daughter, Luna.
“Chrissy, I think was the highlight of the whole thing. I sang. She brought comic relief and excitement to the whole thing,” he said. “This is our home, this is what we do at home and we gave people a little bit of a view into what we do here.”
When asked what he and his family are doing to stay safe, he said they were just figuring it out “one day at a time” while trying to keep Luna and one-year-old Miles “entertained and occupied.”
Legend and Teigen also reminded people not to forget their mental health during a period of potential isolation that could be difficult for many. Legend encouraged viewers to rely on online mental health resources if they are having issues, while Teigen revealed that she was speaking to her therapist via Skype that same day.
Despite not being able to perform live, Legend is clearly still focused on his music with a new single expected out Friday. He also teased similar virtual concerts from music superstars Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth.
