John Legend’s wild Oscar week wraps up at Dubai Jazz Festival

John Legend performs on stage at the Oscars on at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. John Shearer / Invision / AP
Powered by automated translation

John Legend arrives in Dubai during what might be the height of his storied career. On Sunday night in Los Angeles an Oscar, while on Friday he closes the Dubai Jazz Festival. Arriving in the UAE at the peak of his popularity, we track John Legend’s wild week...

On Sunday...

John Legend picked up the Oscar for Best Original Song, for his duo with Common on Glory, the theme from civil rights drama Selma.

Earlier in the evening the pair performed the song live, a rousing rendition which has already attracted more than 300,000 views on YouTube.

He used his acceptance speech to make an impassioned political plea, claiming “There are more black men under correctional control today than there were under slavery in 1850”.

On Monday...

In the early hours of the next morning Legend posted an Instagram snap, in which he was cuddled up in bed with the trophy, alongside his wife, the swimwear model Chrissy Teigen. He told the Daily Mail "She's so happy right now she's being crying since I won".

On Tuesday...

Legend tweeted the news he was available for hire as a wedding singer. Really. As part of the Show Me Campaign charity competition, one lucky bidder will win the chance to have Legend perform at their wedding, and the opportunity to "hang out with John". All funds go to the South High School in Springfield. Nice guy.

On Wednesday...

Kelly Clarkson dropped a new song – Run Run Run, featuring (you've guessed it)... John Legend. It comes from Clarkson's new album Piece by Piece, released on March 3.

On Thursday...

Legend hopefully boards a flight from LAX to DXB – Emirates, we suspect, what with the Dubai airline being the Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival 2015’s title sponsor.

And on Friday...

John Legend closes the Dubai Jazz Festival, six years after last performing there.

There's one song we can be certain he'll play, with the recent announcement Legend will premiere a brand new Middle Eastern-tinged version of All of Me, performed alongside Jean Marie Riachi. The pairing came about after Legend heard the Lebanese producer's new arrangement and was so impressed, he decided to invite him on board.

Earlier this year...

On February 16 Legend performed alongside Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran and others at the Grammy-sponsored Stevie Wonder tribute Songs in the Key of Life.

On January 11 Legend and Common also picked up the Golden Globe for Best original song, a double victory for Glory.