Music icon Stevie Wonder sat down for a rare and heartfelt interview on BBC Sounds’ Sidetracked with Annie and Nick, leaving host Annie Macmanus both emotional and inspired. The conversation, recorded just before his headline performance at Hyde Park, showcased Stevie Wonder’s enduring passion for music, his reflections on legacy, and his unwavering refusal to retire.
Overwhelmed with anticipation, Annie admitted on-air, “With just a few days’ notice, we were told we were allowed to interview Stevie Wonder… I feel like I’m in a dream.” Describing him as “the definition of a legend,” Annie confessed her nerves to the 25-time Grammy winner, who quickly put her at ease by playing his Harpejji—a unique instrument blending piano and guitar tones. “You are soothing me right now!” she exclaimed.
Speaking about his UK visit, Stevie Wonder said, “It’s been fun, it’s been interesting to be back in England and have one show in Wales—it’s been nice!”
On the topic of creativity and whether he’s considering retirement, the 74-year-old artist was emphatic: “I’m not gonna stop the gift that keeps pouring through my body.” He added, “As long as you let your mind work, you don’t have to retire.” Stevie is currently working on a new project titled Through the Eyes of Wonder, and confirmed he has plenty of unreleased songs he may or may not share with the world: “I’m going to let it just be there.”
“I’m three times 25,” he quipped. “I’m still young, I’m still a baby to this thing called life… there is so much more that I want to do and that God wants me to do.”
The legendary singer also reflected on activism, recalling how his 1985 Oscar speech—dedicated to Nelson Mandela—resulted in his music being banned in apartheid-era South Africa. “When you’re in a place where you know something’s wrong, you gotta speak on it,” he said.
Stevie’s sense of humor and warmth lit up the interview. He broke into a spontaneous rendition of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” while recounting a birthday message he sent to the British rockstar. He also remembered telling a young Smokey Robinson at age 11, “You can sing bad, you can sing good, but I can sing better.”
In a nod to the next generation, he praised the “great talent” of British star Cynthia Erivo and encouraged listeners to “make the difference, make the change. Move the world forward, as it is meant to be.”
The full interview airs on Sidetracked with Annie and Nick from 5am, Monday, July 21, exclusively on BBC Sounds.
