John Legend Kicks Off Las Vegas Residency, Calls Show a 'Dream Come True'

"When you hear me play and sing today, you're hearing my grandmother through me," the 12-time Grammy winner said. "I always wished she was here to see all that she inspired"

Photo: Denise Truscello/Getty for Caesars Entertainment

Another legend has taken the stage in Las Vegas: John Legend.

On Friday night, the 12-time Grammy Award winner kicked off his Las Vegas residency, Love in Las Vegas, and he brought a slew of soul with him.

In the lead-up to the residency launch, Legend promised that the show would be a spectacle, and it was, as it included a full band and vibrant set pieces. Throughout the concert, Legend, 43, sang smash hits from his entire catalogue, including "Used to Love U," "Ordinary People" and his new yet-to-be-released song "Dope."

The two-hour show fluidly changed settings, giving a different feel to portions — a church setting felt spiritual and impassioned, whereas a block-party setting felt more boisterous.

Denise Truscello/Getty for Caesars Entertainment

The show, inside Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, featured elements from his 2021 tour Bigger Love Tour, including intimate piano-centric moments, but with an only-in-Vegas flare. An 18-member choir and band backed Legend as he gave a musical dissertation of his lengthy career.

After reflecting on the trying times during his quest to get a record deal, he realized where his journey eventually led him. "You're my dream come true, Las Vegas," he said.

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The wide-ranging setlist was no doubt an accumulation of his career, as he touched on both records he wrote and songs he was featured on — a special section of the show was dedicated to artists he worked with in his early days, including Lauryn Hill, JAY-Z, Alicia Keys, Kanye West and Slum Village.

The most sentimental moment of the show was arguably his stirring cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," which he performed on piano following a story about his late grandmother.

"When you hear me play and sing today, you're hearing my grandmother through me," he said. "I always wished she was here to see all that she inspired."

Denise Truscello/Getty for Caesars Entertainment

Never one to ignore his family, Legend included wife Chrissy Teigen in a video vignette and even said hello to his 3-year-old son, Miles, who was in attendance and flanked by his mom mid-song. Prior to singing his smash hit "All of Me," he said of his wife, "She's inspired a lot of good songs. This might be the best one."

Although Legend lives in Los Angeles, he's obviously at home on stage.

While walking out of the theater as confetti rained down, Legend thanked the opening-night crowd and called the show "an act of love." There's no question it was legitimately an act of Love… in Las Vegas.

Tickets to Love in Las Vegas are available at JohnLegend.com.