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Stevie Wonder closes off Love, Light and Song tour in heatwave Hyde Park

Stevie Wonder closes off Love, Light and Song tour in heatwave Hyde Park

Rhyl Journal2 days ago
The soul singer was led onto the stage at the British Summer Time (BST) on Saturday in front of 65,000 people by his children, who also performed with him during his two-hour set.
Wearing a white tunic embroidered with the faces of John Lennon and Marvin Gaye, he welcomed the crowd with a London-accented 'hello'.
Wonder celebrated the technology that has made music more accessible for people and expressed his hope that more musicians will use their platform to help others, adding: 'Because every single person who is blind should be able to see in their own way.'
Signed, sealed, delivered! Thank you, @StevieWonder ❤️#BSTHydePark #StevieWonder pic.twitter.com/EtQYG6qWKr
— BST Hyde Park (@BSTHydePark) July 12, 2025
He added: 'And if you don't believe me, you don't agree, meet in the dark and let's see what happens.'
Wonder also gestured at the embroidered faces on his tunic, saying the names but pointing to the wrong face.
As he did so, he said: 'Sorry y'all, I'm blind you know.'
The first song, Love's In Need of Love Today, was followed by a tribute to John Lennon's Imagine.
After soloing on the harmonica, Wonder launched into Master Blaster (Jammin') and said: 'Now that we've made our point perfectly, clear, let's get to this.'
At 75 years old, Wonder has not lost any of his vocal power. His saxophone-like voice glided through each song as he tilted his body left to right.
It was his first UK performance since he last played BST in 2019 and people from the crowd kept shouting: 'Yes Stevie, we love you!' To which Wonder replied: 'I love y'all too.'
Underneath his black leather beret and behind his dark, sparkly sunglasses, Wonder also paid tribute to the funk-rock star Sly Stone who died last month.
He was joined by around 20 musicians on stage, including two other keyboard players, a brass section and backing vocalists that included his daughter Aisha Morris.
As the sun set over heatwave-baked Hyde Park, the stage lit up as a jukebox showing many of Wonder's hits over his six-decade career.
He dedicated the song Happy Birthday to his daughter Sophia saying it was her birthday on July 13, inviting her to the front of the stage mid-song.
The band then flew into I Wish and Isn't She Lovely, with another harmonica solo that sent whoops and cheers through the densely-packed crowd.
Wonder's penultimate song started with him tapping one key with one finger, saying 'we've got to do this one', before the famous-funky riff of Superstition filled the darkening arena.
The band continued playing past the official cut off time of 10pm with Wonder egging on the crowd, singing: 'I know we've got to go but we're gonna keep this party going.'
He then finished with Another Star, with many of the guest singers joining him at the front of the stage.
As the band continued playing, Wonder lined up with his family and bowed to the audience.
His last comment before leaving the stage was: 'I love you with my deepest heart and there's nothing you can do about it.'
Wonder was supported by Ezra Collective, Thee Sacred Souls, Elmiene and Corinne Bailey Rae, among others.
It was the last of five shows in Wonder's Love, Light and Song UK tour, where he also played in Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Lytham.
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