Some legends are born, others are made—the saying isn’t a new one. But clearly, this Grammy-winning R&B sensation falls into both camps. He may be best known for his infectious neo-soul sound and his collaborations with such luminaries as Alicia Keys and Will.i.am. He’s rubbed elbows with Jay-Z and Fergie and performed at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. This November, he lights up the silver screen in Soul Men, starring Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac. But talk to the 29-year-old velvet-voiced singer about his greatest passion, and you’ll find he’s more interested in the village of Mbola, Tanzania, than in the bright lights of stardom.

With a skyrocketing career and a new album, Evolver—driven by the deep-groove single “Green Light” (featuring OutKast’s André 3000)—this megawatt singer has turned his spotlight on Africa.

The parched plains of Mbola, plagued with malaria, drought, food shortages and high infant mortality, have become ground zero for Legend’s Show Me Campaign (www.showmecampaign.org). In association with the UN-partner Millennium Promise organization, Legend has made it his mission to support this Millennium Village. He’s already made a measurable impact. And at a D.C. gala this past June, the singer received the Humanitarian Award for Global Change from the poverty-fighting organization CARE.

“Everything flows from the success of my music,” says Legend. “The more successful I am as a musician, [the more it] helps my philanthropic work receive more attention and support, and that gives me the ability to do everything I’d like to in life.” Washington Flyer caught up with the singer/songwriter to chat about his latest work, his development dreams and the ideas that make his heart go boom.

How did you get the idea to launch the Show Me Campaign?
I read a book called The End of Poverty by Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs and decided that I wanted to get involved in poverty reduction and sustainable development. I met with Sachs and he invited me to visit a remote Millennium Village in Ghana. Based on what we saw there, we realized we had to help, so we founded the Show Me Campaign.

What is it like to travel to these villages?
It's a stark contrast between the way we live in the Western world and the way the developing world works. Coming from a place like New York or D.C., or even [developing countries' own] capital cities, you travel to remote villages that are way off the electricity grid, without access to safe drinking water, health care or anything but the most rudimentary technology.

Has your organization been successful?
The campaign has raised more than what we needed to fund the village of Mbola. Now we're working to fund this village for the next five years and expand to funding another village in Tanzania or beyond.

Where did you get your drive to use your celebrity in this way?
I probably got it in Ohio, from my parents, from my desire to make the world a better place. From reading and being inspired by people like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. These people have been so powerful in raising their voices for change.

You don't seem to have the typical celebrity-sized ego.
Well, we all have an ego. But the world is a lot bigger than me, my career or whatever issues I have to deal with on a given day. I know this and I feel that to be a real citizen of the world and make an impact, I have to do things that are bigger than myself.

You recently received a humanitarian award from CARE. How did that feel?
I was really humbled by it because I know that CARE is an organization that gets a lot of work done and helps a lot of people. There's so much more that I want to do and look forward to doing, so the award helps get our message out.

In music and development, you seem like an adept collaborator. Is that true?
Music is a collaborative art form. Most people don't make music by themselves in a vacuum. Within the philanthropic world, I know that I'm not an expert on development or raising money. I need to work with people who know what they're doing. I feel really honored that people like Jeffrey Sachs would be a mentor to me and that he's put so much time into helping me understand how to make an impact. He's one of the most influential people in my life right now.

It's impressive that you've taken on this work while also recording hits and packing concert halls.
Some people think making a real impact can wait. They wait until they're further along in their career and have made a lot more money than I've made. But for me, this is part of what I want to do in life, part of who I want to be in life. It's not something I want to do when it's all said and done; it's what I want to do now.

Tell us about your new album.
Evolver is my best one yet. It's the best collection of songs I've put together. It's a thorough collection of styles that represent where I am now musically and the growth that I've experienced as a musician and writer. It was a lot of fun to make, and I can't wait for people to hear the results.

Is it hard to grow while still maintaining your sound?
Certain things remain the same. I am who I am as a singer and a songwriter. My voice has matured over time, but it's fairly constant. The things I can change are the things I put around my voice—instrumentation, beats and new sounds. I'm always willing to experiment with that. Stylistically, as a writer I have changed dramatically. I'm willing to grow and evolve, to shake up people's expectations of my sound.

As a songwriter, are you more of a storyteller, or personal lyricist?
It's a mixture. Some songs are autobiographical, and a lot of songs are not. The most accurate way to analyze me is not through my songs, because they're not necessarily representative of my experiences, but my songs are inspired by what I've seen in life, whether I've experienced it personally or seen other people go through it.

Did you ever imagine your career getting where it is now?
I always believed that all this was going to happen, sooner or later. But you never know exactly what it's going to look like until it actually happens. I was really young the first time I sang in church, but I felt like I caught the bug then. I always wanted to be on stage, to be in front of people.

Which performers do you most admire?
I'm always interested in artists that have longevity and who succeed over a long period of time with their creativity and leadership in the artistic community still intact. Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Prince and Paul McCartney have all stayed relevant for a long time.

What's their secret?
You can never rest on past albums. You have to prove yourself to your audience. You can't assume that just because people bought your last album, they're going to buy your next one. You always have to make your next effort your best effort.

What does it feel like to be in front of thousands of people?
It's the best feeling you can imagine. I love it. I truly get a high from being on stage.

Describe it for us.
I feel like I'm in control. I feel that the audience and I are communicating; I feel like the band and I are making a connection with the audience. When it all comes together, it feels beautiful. It can be really emotional and powerful.

You got your start in D.C. Do you still have a connection to the city?
I started playing D.C. early in my career, when I was still struggling to get a record deal. Obviously, it's close to New York and Philly, two cities I've lived in for a while, and the D.C. corridor felt like an extension of those places. There's always been such a big soul music and live music community in D.C. The city loves black music and wants to hear it. It was an essential place for me to begin performing, and the people there always embraced me.

What are your future goals?
Musically, I'm always looking to make my next great album and have it succeed well beyond what the last one did. Every musician wants to make an impact, and part of that's reflected by record sales. But the power that your songs are able to have is the most amazing impact.

How do you feel toward this election year?
I've offered my support when it comes to getting people out to vote. Turnout is going to be key.

Do you have a motto that you live by?
I've never been one to sum up all of life in one sentence. I just try to live the best life I can live and enjoy myself while I'm doing it.