Legendary Lullabies: John Legend Debuts New Kid’s Album With Fisher Price Collab
John Legend has been a part of people’s big moments for decades. From weddings to anniversaries and birthdays, his beloved All of Me ballad and many others have played out across homes and events venues across America. Now, thanks to some Purple Monkey inspiration from his daughter Esti, a little push from his wife Chrissy Teigen and a major partnership with Fisher-Price, Legend is hoping to be a part of core memories shared between you and baby, too.
The Bump joined a gathering of parenting influencers—including Allison Kuch and Isaac Rochell, as well as Big Little Feelings’ Kristin and Deena—at the Legend residence in Beverly Hills on August 27. There, the Grammy Award-winning artist gave a sneak peek of songs from his upcoming children’s album, My Favorite Dream, set to be released on August 30.
“My daughter Esti was obsessed with Fisher-Price’s Purple Monkey song. So Chrissy was like, ‘John, you know you need to cover this song,’ so I went over to the piano, and I started learning this song, learning the lyrics, and we recorded a version of me doing it on her phone and posted on Instagram,” Legend explained as he sat at the piano in his indoor-outdoor living room. “Everybody was like, ‘John, you need to make more Fisher-Price songs, you gotta make more songs for kids,’ and that’s how this album got conceived. Because of that one moment with this one song.”
Produced by Indie music icon Sufjan Stevens, My Favorite Dream features nine beautifully composed, developmentally-friendly original songs, including the already-released single, “L-O-V-E,” as well as three beloved Fisher-Price covers: “Maybe (The Purple Monkey Song),” “Great, Great Day” and “Friendship.”
Written in his home studio, surrounded by his four little ones, Legend drew from his own life experiences to create My Favorite Dream. “I started the project by just writing a bunch of ideas based on what we like to talk to our kids about—the messages we want to share with them, and what could make a good song,” Legend explained in a private interview with The Bump. Remarkably, it took him just three weeks to bring all the songs together.
While the album is sure to have plenty of fan favorites, two songs hold a special place in Legend’s heart: “L-O-V-E,” which features Teigen, 8-year-old Luna, and 6-year-old Miles on background vocals, and “Always Come Back,” a favorite of Luna’s. “Luna really loves ‘Always Come Back’ because I travel a lot, and sometimes the kids get upset. You need to remind them that you’ll always come back and always be there for them,” Legend said.
Unlike any other album release in Legend’s career, this one goes beyond Spotify, record stores and the stage—straight into the homes of parents with little ones. Fisher-Price’s Glow and Grow Kick and Play Piano Gyms, Link Squad Toys and Rockin’ Record Players will each feature one of Legend’s covers. “It’s wild to think about because Fisher-Price has been a part of my life since I was a kid,” Legend said, reflecting on his favorite childhood toy, the classic xylophone. “Our kids love these toys, and they love the incorporation of music in them. The chance to cover a few of these songs and bring something special into homes everywhere is really amazing.”
Overall, Legend says he looks forward to offering parents an experience that is inspiring, comforting and fun. “I really make music because I want it to be enduring and last a long time and be a part of important moments in people’s lives,” he said. “Up to this point in my career, most of my songs have been a part of a lot of people’s dating and marriage stories, and now this can be a part of them being parents.”
You can presave My Favorite Dream now on Spotify and Apple Music. Shop John Legend’s collaboration with Fisher-Price here.
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