Live review: Stevie Wonder delivers night of soulful joy at BST Hyde Park
Stevie Wonder performed at BST Hyde Park in London on Saturday night (12.07.25), delivering a masterclass in soul and funk.
As Stevie Wonder walked out in the London sunshine at BST Hyde Park on Saturday night (12.07.25) - led by Aisha and Kailand, two of his nine children - he took a moment to talk about his life as a musician, his life a blind person and the need for love in a world far too often dominated by hate.
Stevie - who was wearing a white jacket emblazoned with glittery likenesses of John Lennon and Marvin Gaye - said: "Every single person who is blind should be able to see in their own way, every person who is paraplegic should be able to walk.
"I wanted to start this show off with a song talking about love. The only reason we exist is because predominantly in the world we have love. Even through the hate, love is far bigger, don't let anyone make you think that it's not. We need love at a time when this planet is too angry. We have to have light, we have to believe that there is a tomorrow. We have to stand against anything that makes you think there's not, we have to move forward, we can't go back. That is what has gotten us through. And song. I think God allowed me to do the right songs.
"Composers, whether it's classical music, country music, hip hop, jazz, whatever, music is wonderful thing. So I want to start the show off with this song..."
He then sits down at his keyboard to play Love’s in Need of Love Today - from his seminal 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life - and from that moment the love for Stevie and his incredible songs fills Hyde Park for the rest of this magical evening.
Stevie plays a surprise cover of Lennon's Imagine complete with harmonica solo, the lyrics being entirely fitting following his earlier words about love always conquering hate.
The energy is cranked up a notch when Wonder plays Master Blaster (Jammin') followed by the irrepressible funk groove of Higher Ground and Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours provides a moment of universal joy.
After leading the Hyde Park crowd in a singalong of You Are My Sunshine which becomes You Are the Sunshine of My Life Wonder is joined by Corinne Bailey Rae - who had performed her own set earlier in the day - for a cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s Everybody Is a Star.
It is the third act of this phenomenal set which proves why Stevie is one of the greatest and most important songwriters of all-time.
Stevie gives the crowd If You Really Love Me, I Just Called to Say I Love You, Living for the City, Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely and Happy Birthday - it's an astonishing run of songs that few artists could match.
Unsurprisingly, Stevie ends with Superstition, but the predictability and inevitably of that choice of closing number is irrelevant. The riff, the groove, the lyrics are irrepressible.
A medley of As and Another Star closes the show and Stevie departs The Great Oak Stage with a bow as he is flanked by his family.
Wonder by name, wondrous on stage, Stevie provided BST Hyde Park with a wonderful night.
Stevie Wonder BST Hyde Park setlist:
Love's in Need of Love Today
Imagine (John Lennon cover)
As If You Read My Mind
Master Blaster (Jammin')
Higher Ground
You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis cover)
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Everybody Is a Star (Sly and the Family Stone cover with Corinne Bailey Rae)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing
My Cherie Amour
Lately
Overjoyed
Stranger on the Shore of Love
Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) (Aretha Franklin cover)
Sweet Love (Anita Baker cover)
Contusion
If You Really Love Me / Sweet Thing (Chaka Khan and Rufus cover)
You and I
Save Your Love For Me (Nancy Wilson cover)
I Just Called to Say I Love You
Living for the City
Sir Duke
I Wish
Isn't She Lovely
I Can Only Be Me (Keith John cover)
Happy Birthday (Sung for Stevie’s daughters birthday)
Superstition
As
Another Star
