Hey everyone, it's K-Sunga here. I just want to let you know that we've launched a brand

new call and advice podcast called Dear Headspace. Each week the headspace teachers, along

with some amazing new friends, are answering your questions about relationships, work,

life, mindfulness, and just about everything else. It's so different from anything we've

ever created and we're so excited for you to hear it. Dear Headspace comes out every

Tuesday on the Headspace app and anywhere that you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening.

Hey, my name is John Legend and welcome to Radio Headspace and to Tuesday morning. As you know,

I'm guest hosting this week of Radio Headspace. Thanks for having me. Today we're going to talk

about how music helped me deal with some particularly difficult moments in my life. We'll explore

how I processed my emotions with songwriting and how we can all keep our hearts open to love.

First, I would love to talk about my maternal grandmother, her name was Elmira Lloyd. She was the

organist at my church. She used to show me the songs that she was playing for the church choir

and helped me learn them. After church, she would cook. I would sit under her wing and just

hang out with her, learn from her and be inspired by her. She was just a magical presence in my life.

My grandmother passed away at a very young age. She was in her late 50s. I was only 10 years old and

for her to be gone. At that early age, so unexpectedly, it really knocked her entire family for a loop.

My mother got depressed and had drug addiction issues that stemmed from that period. All of us in

the family had a hard time reacting to it and coping with it. Not long after that, we saw our

parents break up. Music was really important for me during this time because I needed something

to focus my energy on. I needed music to help me voice what was going on in my head, make me feel

better about what I was going through and what I was dealing with, but also give me an opportunity

to feel joy. Singing at church, singing at school, feeling the love and the adulation that people

...