Stevie Wonder, the legendary musician, recently decided to clear the air about a long-standing rumor. For decades, whispers have suggested that he isn’t actually blind. At a concert in Cardiff, Wales, the 75-year-old superstar took a moment to address these claims directly.
"I have to tell everyone something I’ve been thinking: ‘When did I want to tell the world about this?’ But I want to say it right now," Wonder began. He noted that people often talk about him being able to see. "But, seriously, you all know the truth." He then explained how he lost his sight. "The truth is, shortly after I was born, I became blind," he shared. He sees this as a gift. It has allowed him to experience the world with a vision of truth. He sees people by their spirit, not by how they look. He looks beyond color to the color of their spirit.
These rumors have followed Wonder since he was a child performer. Even other celebrities and internet users have claimed he can see. In 2016, comedian Anthony Anderson joked on Stephen Colbert’s show that he once challenged Wonder to a basketball game. Anderson teased, "What you don’t know is that Stevie can see. It’s just an act." Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal also shared a story in 2019. He claimed Wonder supposedly recognized him in an elevator. "I called everyone I knew and told them the story, and they didn’t believe me," the 53-year-old former NBA star recalled.
Wonder himself often makes light of his own vision. Just last month, he gave the Ultimate Icon award to Jamie Foxx at the BET Awards 2025. During his speech, Wonder mentioned his long history with Foxx, 57. He recalled Foxx calling him after winning an Oscar for playing Ray Charles in the 2004 movie Ray. "He called me because he won the Oscar for Ray," Wonder quipped. "And I said, ‘You know, Jamie, just because you play a blind man doesn’t mean we’re best friends, okay?’" Later in his speech, Wonder joked about Foxx’s "love for blind people." He then added, "I’m so happy to be here tonight to see you honored, as you so well deserve."
Wonder has spoken before about losing his vision. In the audiobook series Wonder of Stevie, he shared a memory about his mother, Lula Mae Hardaway. She cried "every night" after he lost his sight. He eventually told her, "Mom, you shouldn’t cry, you’re making my head hurt." He added, "Maybe God has something bigger for me than all this." History certainly proved him right.