Once the sexy college jock with a modeling contract and a penchant for the ladies, R&B newcomer Vaughn Anthony has reinvented himself and morphed into a mature gentleman with a smooth sound and a lyrical story to tell. If he looks and sounds familiar, that’s no coincidence. This caramel cutie is Grammy-winning artist John Legend’s little brother, and one thing’s for sure: good genes certainly run in their family. Music was once his pastime, and now it’s his life. His new EP is out and catching on fast, and we’re happy to help him spread the word.
“I’ve been singing professionally for about six years,” says Anthony, whose big brother is 9-time Grammy award winning R&B artist John Legend. “But all of my life I’ve been a singer. I didn’t take it seriously until 2005. I’ve always liked to entertain people, but this was something I felt like I could do when a couple doors began to open for me.”
So, what kind of advice does a billboard-topping act give his littler brother about entering the entertainment business? The kind that sticks! “He told me to make sure to take this seriously and know that it’s business and not to ever act like a fool,” Anthony recalls. “He told me it’s a job, and if you look at it that way, you’ll be in the game for a long time.”
“I’m a Midwest guy — we’re all the way laid back,” says Anthony, who was all smiles and laughs when we sat down with him to talk about in which direction he sees his career headed.
“I’m passionate about my craft, but I am a clown too,” Anthony shares. “I love to have fun. I like to tell jokes and I’m always mimicking people. I’m that type of dude.”
…Vaughn works out!
Anthony is a huge sports fan. These days he does more watching than playing, but he played basketball in high school and college.
Whether you’re a fan of tattoos or not, Anthony wants you to respect that he’s an artist — all around. When he’s not singing his heart out, he’s sketching and practicing his calligraphy. Today, he has 12 tattoos, which doesn’t surprise him, he says, because when he was little he would draw on his arms and legs.
Musically speaking, Anthony says he would definitely like to work with D’Angelo one day. “He’s one of my all time favorite artists,” he says. “I wouldn’t mind working with Kanye or Kerri Hilson either. She’s a phenomenal songwriter.”
“If I wasn’t singing, I know I’d be coaching basketball,” says Anthony, who attended college in Ohio and played a little basketball in college.
Vaughn Anthony’s new mix tape, The Life of the Player, can be downloaded online now, and he wants all the ladies out there to check out his steamy new video for the first single now and tell him what you think.
Fans hoping to hear John Legend and Anthony share a brotherly moment on a track, need not wait another moment. They can listen to their song “Hold Me Down,” which is featured on Anthony’s new mix tape, right now. But, will we ever see them in the studio together full time? "It would be hard to distinguish who’s singing!” insists Anthony. “The album would be dope though. Johnny is a dope artist. I’m dope. We’re Stevens boys. We would definitely do it up.”
