Stevie Wonder silenced years of speculation about his vision during a stop on his Love, Light and Song tour in Cardiff, where he directly addressed the long-running rumor that he can see.
“I must say to all of you something that I was thinking, ‘When did I want to let the world know this?’ But I wanted to say it right now. You know there have been rumors about me seeing and all that? But seriously, you know the truth,” Wonder told the audience. “Truth is, shortly after my birth, I became blind.”
The 75-year-old music icon, who lost his sight as an infant due to complications from being born prematurely, has long been the subject of internet jokes and celebrity anecdotes that question his blindness.
Despite his condition, Wonder’s ability to move through the world with confidence has fueled conspiracy theories for decades.
Rather than shy away from the chatter, the Motown legend leaned into it with grace and humor, using the moment to reflect on how his blindness shaped his worldview.
“Now, that was a blessing,” he said. “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 color they are, but what color is their spirit?”
The rumors have been kept alive by celebrity stories, including a 2019 tale from Shaquille O’Neal, who claimed Wonder recognized him in an elevator.
“He comes in, says, ‘What’s up Shaq?'” O’Neal said during an appearance on Inside the NBA, sparking laughs and more online debate.
In 2016, Anthony Anderson joked on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he once challenged Wonder to a basketball game and came away convinced the blindness was “just an act.”
Despite the jokes, Wonder has never wavered in his truth.
His comments in Cardiff marked one of the rare times he’s spoken directly about the rumors in front of a live audience.
Wonder’s Love, Light and Song tour continues across the UK through the end of June.