The singer will be bringing his tour to South Africa
John Legend performs at the Noches del Botanico music festival at Real Jardin Botánico Alfonso XIII on 22 July 2026 in Madrid, Spain. Picture: Mariano Regidor/Getty Images
South African music lovers are in for a soulful treat with international superstar John Legend bringing his highly anticipated tour to the country next February.
The 13-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and pianist will perform in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town as part of The Muse Tour. Fans can expect to enjoy some of his biggest hits alongside new music from his latest album, Muse.
Presented by Big Concerts, the tour promises an evening of romance, nostalgia and soulful performances. The catalogue includes some of the most recognisable love songs of the past two decades.
From All of Me and Ordinary People to Save Room, Green Light, Tonight (Best You Ever Had) and You \& I (Nobody in the World), Legend has built a musical legacy. It stretches beyond the R&B charts.
But who exactly is the man behind those unmistakable vocals?
A legend is born
Born John Roger Stephens in Springfield, Ohio, in December 1978, Legend grew up surrounded by music. He began playing the piano as a child. He also sang in his church choir, developing the gospel influences that would later become a defining feature of his sound.
Before becoming a household name, he worked behind the scenes in the music industry. He played piano and contributed backing vocals for established artists, including Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and Kanye West.
It was Kanye West who gave him the stage name John Legend and helped him secure a record deal.
His breakthrough arrived in 2004 with his debut album, Get Lifted, which featured the hit single Ordinary People. The album earned him three Grammy Awards. It established him as one of the leading voices in contemporary soul and R&B.
His career continued to grow with albums such as Once Again, Love in the Future, Darkness and Light and LEGEND.
One of his biggest career milestones came with All of Me, the emotional piano-led ballad dedicated to his model wife, Chrissy Teigen. Notably, the song became a global wedding favourite and remains one of his signature recordings.
In 2018, Legend also made entertainment history by achieving EGOT status, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
His latest album, Muse, is his 12th studio project and marks a creative reunion with longtime friend Pharrell Williams. Pharrell co-wrote and produced the record. The album draws inspiration from gospel, classic soul, doo-wop, Afrobeat and hip-hop.
South African tour dates
Pretoria: 20 February 2027, SunBet Arena, Time Square.
Durban: 23 February 2027, Durban ICC.
Cape Town: 25 February 2027, Grand Arena, GrandWest.
Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am on Friday, 13 November. They are available exclusively through Ticketmaster and Big Concerts.
Fans are advised to purchase tickets only through authorised platforms. Additionally, they should avoid secondary resale websites such as Viagogo, where tickets may be invalid.
