| − | John Legend gave the commencement address at Duke University's undergraduate graduation at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina on Sunday.<br><br>'You know, I'm feeling good because today because this is the first time I've been in front of a live audience, hearing live applause, since last February, 14 months ago,' the 42-year-old singer said in kicking off his speech.<br><br>Legend addressed the difficult times for the graduates in the wake of a year plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>The latest: John Legend, 42, gave the commencement address at Duke University's undergraduate graduation at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina on Sunday<br><br>'Your class lost a lot: Some lost job offers, some lost loved ones, and all of you lost a whole year those little moments that make college so special,' Legend said.<br><br>'I feel your pain: You've lost something that you won't get back. I won't sugarcoat that - it sucks.'<br><br>The EGOT winner, who also got an honorary degree from the institution, complimented the student on their resilience amid the troubled times.<br><br><br><br><br>RELATED ARTICLES<br><br>Previous<br><br>1<br><br>Next<br><br><br><br>John Legend says he felt 'a real sense of community' when he... Chrissy Teigen sports a show-stopping robe with faux fur... John Legend is a perfect gent as he holds a car door open... Chrissy Teigen introduces fans to her colorful alter-ego... <br><br><br><br>Share this article<br><br>Share<br><br>30 shares<br><br><br>'The fact that you're here today, graduates of one of the world's greatest universities means that you've had to approach life with a certain competitiveness,' the All of Me singer said. 'But over the past year, you were forced to pause, to see yourselves not just in competition with one another, but in community with each other.<br><br>Legend noted the unprecedented nature of the past year amid the shutdown and the precautions people took to quell the pandemic.<br><br><br><br><br>Return to normalcy: Legend said Sunday's event marked his first time in front of a live audience in 14 months <br><br><br><br><br><br>Legend noted the unprecedented nature of the past year amid the shutdown and the precautions people took to quell the pandemic<br><br><br><br><br><br>Graduation day: The EGOT winner posed in a blue robe at the ceremony<br><br>'Anyone getting sick was a risk to everyone,' he said. 'We all had to slow down, social distance, cover our faces, stop filling our days with maximum productivity and simply keep each other safe, keep each other alive, care for one another.'<br><br>Legend drew upon his own academic past in which he graduated number two in his high school class and went on to the University of Pennsylvania.<br><br>'This perspective you gained will serve us all, because while that competitive drive that got you here can be an incredible gift, it can get in the way, too,' he said.<br><br>Legend expounded on truths exposed in learning from the history of the U.S. and how to move forward with the lessons in tow.<br><br>'America's story has always been marred by efforts to exclude, to dominate, to subjugate, to keep certain groups of people with no voice, no power and no opportunity: Workers, women, indigenous people, Black people, immigrants, the LGBTQ community,' he said. 'All because of a fear that if those people did better, somebody else would have to lose.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Flashback: Legend had past appeared on the campus in 2004 for a Last Day of Classes concert with Kanye West<br><br>'But the miracle of our story is that as we expanded opportunity, in our best moments, we proved that those fears were unfounded. When more people made more money, rich business owners didn't suffer, they got more customers. Prosperity increased for everybody.'<br><br>The singer said that 'once we recognize our interdependence, our mutuality, it's clear that love is precisely what our society needs.'<br><br>Legend had past appeared on the campus in 2004 for a Last Day of Classes concert with [https://sites.google.com/view/kanye-west-posters/home kanye west posters] West.<br><br>Duke University President Vincent Price said in a statement, 'We are thrilled to have John Legend serve as our speaker at undergraduate commencement - and to have such an extraordinary group of honorary degree recipients, If you have any type of inquiries concerning where and the best ways to make use of [https://sites.google.com/view/kanye-west-posters/home Kanye west posters], you could contact us at our own internet site. each of whom have made transformational contributions to our understanding of the world.'<br><br><br>John LegendCovid-19North Carolina
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