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Stevie Wonder has addressed the rumours questioning his blindness. He offered a response during his Love, Light & Song tour stop in Cardiff, Wales, on July 10.
 
In front of a live audience at Blackweir Fields, the musician paused between performances to speak about it. "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," he began. "You know there have been rumours about me seeing and all that? But seriously, you know the truth."
 
"Truth is, shortly after my birth, I became blind," Wonder said. He went on to reveal that he views his blindness as a spiritual gift rather than a limitation. "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?"
 
The 75-year-old artist was born six weeks premature and he lost his sight due to a condition called retinopathy of prematurity.
 
Throughout his long career, Stevie has always been open about his condition, however theories suggesting he can see have persisted. These rumours often stem from his impressive spatial awareness and stage presence and many people find it difficult to reconcile with his visual impairment.
 
Over the years, notable public figures have contributed to this speculation. In 2016, Comedian Anthony Anderson joked on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that Stevie can see and claimed that his blindness is "just an act." Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal claimed on NBA on TNT in 2019 that Stevie had recognized him in an elevator.
 
Wonder has rarely responded directly, until now. In his audiobook series The Wonder of Stevie, he reflected on his early life sharing that his mother Lula Mae Hardaway struggled with his diagnosis. "My mother went through the different things. She cried every night," he said. As a child, he tried to comfort her telling her not to cry.
 
Wonder who hasn't released a full studio album since A Time to Love in 2005, discussed plans for a performance project titled Through the Eyes of Wonder. This project is designed to show how he perceives the world through sound and spirit.