To see or not to see, that is the question regarding arguably one of the most extraordinary artists of all time. Thirty-one-time Grammy winning artist Stevie Wonder has people “wondering” whether his blindness is real or that of twisted self-promotion. Theories and speculations have arose over the years regarding Stevie and his sight such as:
​
-
Is or was Stevie ever truly or partially blind?
-
Has Stevie been playing the character of a blind man to boost record sales and uphold his fame?
​
There are plausible reasonings to back these theories, and although everyone has different opinions, the facts and reasons provided lead to the conclusion that Stevie Wonder can see – even if it is just a little. Moreover, it cannot hurt to shed light on why these theories exist and could create doubt one way or another.
His Character:
Being extraordinary is not always seen in a positive manner; however, in American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder’s case, it is. Stevie Wonder has proven to be remarkably extraordinary—especially in his pre-adult years. In an interview with Teenset Magazine, Stevie stated he is glad that he is blind because he “can see more of life” that way (Swenson 53). Being characterized as “remarkably extraordinary", in simple terms, means to be so strikingly different in a good way. Stevie Wonder, from birth, is remarkably extraordinary.
​
​
Stevie made the best of his differences. Born prematurely, Stevland Hardaway Judkins brought worry upon Lula Hardaway, his mother (Love 94). This was the beginning of many out of the ordinary instances that define Stevie Wonder’s life. Most babies are around seven pounds at birth; Stevie was just four pounds at his birth (Growth charts - data table for boys length-for-age and weight-for-age charts). As if being born too early and being underdeveloped were not enough to separate Stevie from the rest, shortly after her early labor, Lula Hardaway was informed earth-shattering news—her Stevland was blind (Love 98). Statistics show blindness is a disability that has widely increased over the years—and is still currently increasing. This means when Stevie was born in 1950, it was quite uncommon to be blind compared to today’s statistics (“Visual Impairment, Blindness Cases in U.S. Expected to Double by 2050”). Altogether, these obstacles deem Stevie’s birth story to be out of the ordinary, or as some may call it: extraordinary.
Stevie with his mother, Lula Hardaway
Stevie’s circumstances granted to him at birth were not the only reasons he could be perceived as remarkable and extraordinary. As he aged into his adolescence, his skills and talents developed. Stevie’s passion for music arose at the mere age of eight years old (Love 126). His interest and talent in music at such a young age led to a remarkable childhood. To further elaborate, in Callin’ Around the World: a Motown Reader, Abbott states that “the image that has defined his large scaled concerts” was when Stevie became known as “Little Stevie Wonder” at the age of ten. Little Stevie Wonder was soon known by many, as he was scouted by Motown Records (Love 151).
​
​
Stevie’s extraordinariness, regarding his musical talent, was firmly established in his early childhood, but did not fully take off, or launch, until his teen years (Abbott 131). Between the ages of twelve and thirteen, Little Stevie released his first single with Motown Records (Love 176). In an introduction at one of Stevie’s performances, Bill Murray described Stevie as being “a genius of our time” (Love 176).
As Stevie got older, this once extraordinary young man developed into a legendary figure. There is a plethora of evidence proving Stevie Wonder to be legendary throughout his career stemming from his early twenties up to today. Stevie received fifteen Grammy awards during the 1970’s, the first coming
​
when he was just twenty-three years old. He is described as “the most influential and acclaimed black musician of the early seventies” (Abbott 131). He is an “activist” and an advocate for doing what he believes is right which make him legendary in itself. In the early eighties, Stevie campaigned and led movements and walks for blacks in Washington (Swenson 125). Another great and legendary moment in Stevie’s life came in the early eighties when he was honored with a special day, called “Stevie Wonder Day” by his hometown mayor (Perone 108). The late 1980’s brought a pinnacle moment in Stevie’s life when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Perone 99). The decades following were also filled with honors and awards granted to Stevie, as well as recognitions. More recently, Stevie was honored the opportunity to perform at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2008 (Readers ask: Who Sang at president Obama Inauguration?). Still today, Stevie continues to write and produce songs adding to his accolades which make him legendary.
Theories and Speculations
Are Stevie Wonder's noble qualities and traits enough to evade public questioning? The answer is maybe not. Many conspiracies surrounding Stevie Wonder’s sight have grown over the years. More specifically, accusations that Wonder was never blind and has always been able to see. Speculation has surfaced he may be upholding the "blind man" persona for marketing reasons to help increase his uniqueness and popularity.
Stevie’s mysterious behavior in public has some people doubting the legitimacy of his disability. Social media forums such as: Twitter, Quora, Reddit, etc… have created a public platform for this debate(Attachment 1; Attachment 2). Some may ask, what sparks this curiosity and makes one question Wonder? Could it be because of his strong desire to contend on Dancing with the Stars (Will Stevie Wonder join 'DWTS?')? On Los Angeles 104.3 MYFM radio jock Valentine, Stevie stated, “Come on… If I have seven children, I’ve got to be able to dance right?” (Stevie Wonder in talks to join 'dancing'). This popular topic may not be hard to debunk since his supporters could easily say he was joking. However, more valid and logical reasons exist to why people believe Stevie can see.
​
Stevie’s regular courtside appearances and seating at NBA games have given disbelievers a major reason to question the validity of his lack of eyesight (Shown to the right). Basketball games are events anyone can enjoy and attend. However, attending a basketball game blind is comparable to being deaf and watching a movie with no subtitles. Stevie has created an abundance of occurrences which have given naysayers ammunition to question the truth of his blindness.
Stevie’s interactions with celebrities are amongst those occurrences. Alongside fellow Rock and Roll Hall of famer Paul McCartney, Stevie was filmed catching a falling microphone stand in what would be considered his peripheral view (In performance at the White House Paul McCartney). Once, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, better known as Shaq, shared a story about an encounter between he and Stevie in an elevator (Stevie Wonder can see - shaq). Shaq stated, “I was on the elevator first, the doors open, and Stevie walks in and says, “What’s up Shaq?” (Shaq tells a story about seeing Stevie Wonder in...). Musical superstar, Elton John claims Stevie once drove his snowmobile without any special assistance (VanHoose). Another claim came from Steve Harvey, a popular TV show host, where he claims Stevie drove his new truck by himself while he watched (Stevie Wonder pranks Steve Harvey). A similar claim came from Lionel Richie, Stevie’s close friend. While on the Kelly Clarkson Show, Richie stated, “I’ve been spending my whole life with him, thinking he can see” (Lionel Richie thinks Stevie Wonder can see). The instances go on and on supporting the possibility that Stevie Wonder is not completely blind.
Click to watch...
To add fuel to the proverbial fire, Stevie’s alleged ex-lover, Mbappe, made a trivial statement regarding their time spent together in the 1970s. She declares he created and kept up with this challenging image to assist in gaining notoriety. In an interview with Enquêteur Africain, an African radio show, Mbappe states that Stevie initially did this “to stand out from the crowd” (Dmitry Stevie Wonder's former lover claims 'stevie is not really blind'). She goes on to mention that he was “forced to stick with it and live the rest of his life as a pretend blind man” (1). Stevie Wonder has neither denounced this claim, nor has he supported this claim.
​
To see or not to see, remains a mystery when pondering the topic of Stevie Wonder and his sight. Speculations that Stevie can see, as well as the many theories he faked this blindness as a publicity grab, continue to make many wonder if they are true. While the world may never see through Stevie’s eyes, there is much evidence to back the claim that he is not totally sightless.