After years of speculation surrounding his sight, Stevie Wonder decided to set the record straight about what he can see while on stage in Wales.
The music legend, 75, revealed ‘the truth’ about his lack of vision while wowing crowds in Cardiff last week during his Love, Light and Song tour.
His vocal talent is something which has never been up for debate, however, the same can’t be said for the ‘Do I Do’ singer’s inability to see like many of us.
There are a few reasons for this – the first being that Wonder still moves and grooves on stage, seemingly without fear, despite being unable to perceive where he’s going.
On top of that, Shaquille O’Neal famously revealed that the Michigan-born hitmaker ‘recognised’ him in an elevator once, while he also memorably ‘caught’ a microphone stand which Paul McCartney knocked over as they performed together.
Wonder is also extremely talented when it comes to instruments and can play piano, keyboard, harmonica, drums, organ and synthesisers – and some people just simply can’t understand how he’s managed all that without his sight.
But it just goes to show that you really can do anything you set your mind to, as the musician has managed to master various skills thanks to his sheer determination.
Still, for some reason, there’s a few people who seriously believe that he’s been pulling our legs about being blind for all of this time.
Wonder, 75, told the crowd in Cardiff the ‘truth’ about his vision (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Wonder has taken these rumours on the chin throughout his career, but last Wednesday (9 July), he decided to address the gossip while entertaining the crowd at Blackweir Fields in Cardiff.
He confirmed he most definitely is blind, before going on to describe his disability as a ‘blessing’.
In footage from the gig shared on social media, the music star said: “I must say to all of you, something that I was thinking, ‘When did I want to let the world know this?’
“But I’m going to say it right now. You know there have been rumours about me seeing and all that? But seriously, you know the truth.
“The truth is, shortly after my birth, I became blind. Now, that was a blessing because it’s allowed me to see the world in the vision of truth, of sight.
“See people in the spirit of them, not how they look. Not what colour they are. But, what colour is their spirit?”
A wonderful way to put it, Mr Wonder.
He shared a similar sentiment while performing at BST Hyde Park on Saturday (12 July) in London, movingly telling the audience: “Every single person who is blind should be able to see in their own way.
“And if you don’t believe me, you don’t agree, meet in the dark and let’s see what happens.”
The music star became blind when he was just a few weeks old (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)
Hilariously, he also gestured towards his white tunic which was embroidered with the faces of John Lennon and Marvin Gaye, before jokingly pointing to them and getting their names the wrong way around.
Making light of the supposed mix-up, Wonder then said: “Sorry y’all, I’m blind you know.”
The Grammy winner has been blind since he was an infant, although he was not born that way.
Wonder actually lost his vision when he was around six weeks old, as he suffered from a condition which is known as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
According to the National Eye Institute, this is an eye disease which affects babies who are born prematurely and it causes abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye.
Some tots who suffer ROP only experience it mildly and go on to make a full recovery, however, it can cause vision loss or even blindness if it’s not treated quickly.
When Wonder was born earlier than expected back in May 1950, he was placed into an incubator – but as it contained too much oxygen, this unfortunately contributed to his development of ROP.
While chatting with Barack Obama and Wesley Morris on The Wonder of Stevie podcast last year, Wonder revealed that his mother took this news particularly hard at the time.
“I was born,” he said. “Shortly after that, I’m blind. My mother went through the different things, and so my experience with that was deep,” before then explaining that she would cry ‘every night’ about his lack of sight.
Recalling how he reassured his mother, Wonder went on: “[I said], ‘Mama, you shouldn’t cry, you’re making my head hurt’. And I said, ‘Maybe God has something for me that’s bigger than all this’.
“History proved that true.”
Featured Image Credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
