Stevie Wonder Says He’ll Never Give Up Performing: ‘You Don’t Have to Retire’

Stevie Wonder has confirmed that he’s not going anywhere, with the veteran musician claiming he’ll be performing and creating until his dying day.

Wonder’s comments came from a new interview with the BBC’s Sidetracked podcast, where he entered into a discussion with host Annie Mac about the topic of retirement.

After turning the question back onto Mac after she inquired about his thoughts on the matter, Wonder explained that as long as he’s physically able to, he’ll keep creating in some capacity. “For as long as you breathe, for as long as your heart beats, there’s more for you to do,” he explained.

“I love playing music, that’s like my mantra. I think I can do all the stuff I want to do – still have fun and do what I need to do – but I’m not going to stop the gift that keeps pouring through my body.”

“I love doing what I’m doing,” he added. “An artist doesn’t stop drawing – you keep on. As long as you can imagine is as long as you are going to be creative, and as long as you let your mind work, you don’t have to retire.”

Close to the entirety of Wonder’s life has been dedicated to creating music, with the 75-year-old having released his first single at the age of 11, and later scored his first Hot 100 chart-topper with “Fingertips” at 13.

Currently, it’s been almost 20 years since Wonder released his last studio album, A Time to Love, though a number of singles have arrived in the years since – including 2024’s “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.” 

Since 2008, the musician has spoken about a new project titled Through the Eyes of Wonder, which has been described as a performance piece that will reflect his experience as a blind man.

During his appearance on Sidetracked, Mac asked Wonder about his relationship with music, to which the veteran artist responded he’s “going to put music out” at some point, and is “excited” about the long-discussed Through the Eyes of Wonder project.

During his recent time in the U.K., Wonder also performed in Cardiff, Wales where he took the opportunity to share a poignant response to viral rumors that he is in fact able to see.

“You know there have been rumors about me seeing and all that?” he asked the crowd. “But seriously, you know the truth.

“Truth is, shortly after my birth, I became blind,” Wonder explained. “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 color they are, but what color is their spirit?”

Watch Stevie Wonder’s appearance on Sidetracked below.