Four years after his last show in Manila, ten-time Grammy winner John Legend came back to the country for his Darkness and Light Tour on March 21 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The legendary multi-platinum singer-songwriter took Filipinos on a high with hit songs from his first album “Get Lifted” to his latest “Darkness and Light.” He opened the show with “I Know Better” while playing the piano.
.@johnlegend is now here at @TheBigDome for the #DarknessAndLightTourMNL!! 💖✨ pic.twitter.com/u0kazEcKjE
— POP! (@InqPOP) March 21, 2018
Legend greeted the fans saying it was good to see them again after his “The All of Me Tour” in Manila last 2014. “I love being here. I love feeling all your energy,” he said.
He lit up the night as he performed songs like: “Penthouse Floor,” “Tonight (Best You Ever Had),” “Darkness and Light,” and “Used To Love U,” to name a few. The sound of Pinoys singing along with his songs spiralled The Big Dome as he sang fan-favorites such as: “Ordinary People,” “Green Light,” “Love Me Now,” and “You & I.”
John Legend: Manila, I don’t wanna brag, but tonight I’ll be the best you’ve ever had. #DarknessAndLightTourMNL #JohnLegendMNL #JohnLegendLiveInManila pic.twitter.com/XX2lQydrby
— POP! (@InqPOP) March 21, 2018
He hyped the crowd with his performance of “Tonight (Best You Ever Had),” and shared that “Overload,” a song he collaborated with Miguel, is one of his favorite songs to perform.
During one of his performances, the singer said that his wife, Chrissy Teigen, “sends her love” to the fans. A video of Chrissy and their daughter Luna flashes on the LED screen as he sings one of his latest hits, “Love Me Now.”
He also did a cover of Meghan Trainor’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” where he said “I love you, Manila! Let’s love like we’re gonna lose each other.” He also surprised the crowd with an a capella rendition of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down” and send everyone into nostalgia as he sang the Disney classic theme song “Beauty and the Beast.”
Known for mixing his political views into his songs, Legend made a spectacular performance of “Wake Up Everybody” and showed powerful photos of black people fighting and protesting against racism, inequality, and injustice throughout history. During his encore, he sang his global hit “All of Me” where everyone in the audience stood up and sang along with him.
The singer proved that he is one hell of a legendary artist as he ended the night with his performance of Golden Globes and Academy Award-winning song, “Glory” from the film Selma, featuring the “Black Live Matter” movement and people of color led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, John Lewis, and Martin Luther King, Jr. marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 to fight for black people’s voting rights.
John Legend took to Instagram to express his gratitude towards his Pinoy fans.
“Darkness and Light Tour” was presented by Wilbros Live.