John Legend to produce Underground

John Legend is excited to join forces with WGN America to produce original thriller Underground.

The Oscar winning musician's production company Get Lifted confirmed on Wednesday that it would executive produce the series. The 36-year-old, along with partners Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius, will oversee the score, soundtrack and any other musical aspects of the programme.

"We are excited to join forces with WGN America and Sony and the talented team of writers and producers on this powerful project that we believe will inspire us all," he said in a statement according to Variety. "This series has a unique opportunity to speak to the passion and courage of those who risked it all as they raced to freedom. We are honoured to bring our creative vision to this thrilling project."

Underground will tell the story of plantation slaves who come together to fight for their families and their freedom. The production is currently being filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is expected to air next year.

When the show was first announced, Kanye West's name was linked to the project, but Underground's creators insisted that John, who won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the movie Selma, was their number one choice.

"Underground depicts a raw and revolutionary chapter in the American story. We wanted an artist who could help us find the light through the darkness, and John Legend was a perfect fit," said Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, creators and executive producers of Underground. "We are beyond excited to be working with John, Mike and Ty at Get Lifted. They stand without peer at the intersection of music and television — we couldn't think of better producing partners."