Support for Wonder’s performance was thoughtfully curated, with standout sets from artists including Thee Sacred Souls, Corinne Bailey Rae, and more throughout the day. The main support came from Ezra Collective, whose infectious Afrobeat-infused jazz brought an atmosphere of joy and celebration to the park. Drummer Femi Koleoso reflected on seeing Wonder perform at Hyde Park in 2019, calling the opportunity to now open for him a “full-circle moment.” Their vibrant, emotionally rich set had the crowd dancing in the sunshine, perfectly setting the stage for Wonder’s headline performance.

The anticipation broke just after 7pm, as Stevie Wonder made his entrance onto the stage. The music legend was guided onto the stage by two of his nine children, Aisha and Kailand, and greeted the crowd with a heartfelt message: “Praise to God for allowing me to be here today.” His opening words set the tone for an evening centred on love, unity, and reverence, reminding the audience that “love is far bigger” than anger or hate.

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 He opened the set with his 1976 classic ‘Love’s in Need of Love Today’, followed by a surprise cover of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, accompanied by his signature harmonica and a powerful crowd singalong. His vocals – smooth, soulful, and pitch-perfect – proved undiminished since the beginning of his career in 1961.

Throughout the night, Wonder’s charisma was on full display. He lightened the atmosphere with jokes, even attempting a British accent to the crowd’s delight, and shared anecdotes between songs that reinforced the show’s spirit of joy and gratitude.

He was joined on stage by various guests, including his children, members of his backing band, and Corinne Bailey Rae, who performed Sly and the Family Stone’s ‘Everybody is a Star’ alongside Wonder in tribute to the recently deceased frontman Sly Stone.

As the evening drew to a close, Wonder treated the audience to a parade of hits: ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’, ‘Living for the City’, ‘Sir Duke’, ‘Isn’t She Lovely’, and ‘Happy Birthday’. The rousing finale featured a medley of ‘Superstition’, ‘As’, and ‘Another Star’, with the crowd erupting in celebration.

With his family by his side, Stevie Wonder returned to the front of the stage to bow – a fitting end to a night that celebrated not only music, but also connection, legacy, and love.

Due to the last minute withdrawal of Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra due to the frontman’s health issues, Wonder’s performance on Saturday ended up being the closing day for the festival. More on the premature end of this years BST Hyde Park can be read here. In case you missed it, MXDWN’s earlier coverage of the announcement of Stevie Wonder’s headline performance can be read here.

This announcement marks the first full line-up unveiled for any of this year’s BST headliners, with Stevie Wonder’s show currently the only complete bill confirmed.

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Joining as special guests are Ezra Collective, the 2023 Mercury Prize winner’s and genre-blending jazz quintet from London. Known for their energetic fusion of afrobeat, calypso, hip-hop, reggae, soul, and jazz, the group has pushed boundaries and made waves in the UK music scene. In 2025, they made history as the first jazz act to win Group of the Year at the BRIT Awards.

Also performing is Corinne Bailey Rae, the acclaimed singer-songwriter behind the soulful classic “Put Your Records On”. Her 2006 debut album topped the UK charts, making her the fourth British female solo artist to debut at number one. Her work was recognised with a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2008.

Elmiene, the rising 23-year-old British-Sudanese neo-soul and R&B singer, is also on the bill. Since emerging in 2023, Elmiene has received widespread praise and has been hailed by Sir Elton John as “one of Britain’s greatest new artists.” He was nominated for the Rising Star award at the 2025 BRIT Awards.

Rounding out the support line-up are Thee Sacred Souls, a soul trio from San Diego whose nostalgic yet fresh sound has earned them international acclaim. Their self-titled 2022 debut was met with universal acclaim, and they followed it up with 2024’s Got a Story to Tell. The band describes their style as “Sweet Southern Californian soul”- they are carving out their own path while honouring soul’s legacy and heritage.

This will be Stevie Wonder’s third time headlining the Great Oak Stage at BST Hyde Park, following standout performances in 2016 and 2019.

Stevie Wonder’s performance on July 12 also marks the final date of his upcoming ‘Love, Light and Song’ UK tour. The tour kicks off on July 3 at Lytham festival and is followed by performances in Manchester’s Co-op Live arena on July 5, Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on July 7 and Cardiff’s Blackweir Feilds on July 9. Tickets for the ‘Love, Light and Song’ tour can be accessed here.

Other acts set to headline BST Hyde Park 2025 include Olivia Rodrigo (June 27), Zack Bryan (June 28-29), Noah Kahan (July 4), Sabrina Carpenter (July 5-6), Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts (July 11) and Jeff Lynne’s ELO (July 13). Tickets for BST Hyde Park can be accessed here.

For those who missed it, our coverage of the original announcement of Stevie Wonder’s headline slot can be found here.

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The 74-year-old joins a diverse list of headliners, with everything except the support acts for Wonder’s performance now in place. The full line-up consists of Olivia Rodrigo (27 June), Zach Bryan (28 and 29 June), Noah Kahan (4 July), Sabrina Carpenter (5 and 6 July), Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts (11 July), and Jeff Lynne’s ELO (13 July). Wonder’s performance will fill the gap between Neil Young and Jeff Lynne’s ELO, setting the final weekend up to be a nostalgia-filled celebration.  

This year’s festival has already generated considerable buzz, with Jeff Lynne’s ELO performance set to be his last before stepping back from playing live. Actor Hugh Jackman was also announced to be playing theatre standards, backed by a live orchestra, before pulling out and being replaced with pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter.  

Wonder’s last UK appearances were both at BST Hyde Park, headlining in 2016 and 2019. The 2016 show was an extension of his Songs in the Key of Life Tour, with the musician playing the album in full, as well as a few extras. His 2019 performance was more well-rounded and closer to a greatest hits set, pulling tracks from a variety of albums from across his storied career.

His 2019 show received a four-star review from The Independent, with Kate Solomon saying: “If the first half of the set is about flexing his musical muscles, the second is about blasting Hyde Park with hit after hit.”   

Wonder’s touring schedule slowed considerably in recent years. Between 2013 and 2017, the musician played 167 shows, but from 2019 to 2024, the same amount of time, that dropped to just 50 shows.  

The BST Hyde Park appearance will be the final stop on the UK leg of his ‘Love Light & Song’ tour, which will see Wonder play shows in Lancashire (3 July), Manchester (5 July), Birmingham (7 July), and Cardiff (9 July). Tickets for all four shows go on general sale at 10am on Friday 21 March, though each venue has a variety of presale events, accessible through Ticketmaster.   

Superb news for Stevie Wonder fans. He’s set to play his first gig in Wales for more than 40 years!The Master Blaster will headline Cardiff’s new Blackweir Live series. His last Welsh gig was in Swansea back in ‘84.Surely no show Hotter than July 9th, this summer?!#StevieWonder

[image or embed] — Sue Charles (@suecharles.bsky.social) 17 March 2025 at 20:02

  Tickets for his Hyde Park appearance will also go on general sale this Friday (21 March), again at 10am, with prices starting at £79.95 plus booking fees. This price places Wonder in the middle price bracket, just below Sabrina Carpenter and Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, and Zach Bryan’s second show. The only cheaper tickets are for Noah Kahan (£69.95).  

The announcement of Wonder, and his wider tour, caused huge excitement online, with plenty of fans sharing their anticipation. In response to a question about whether the ‘Superstition’ singer still “had it”, one Reddit user quickly confirmed that he definitely did, explaining his own experience and saying, “Did Stevie struggle on a few runs? Yes, but he is also still going for the craziest vocal runs with no hesitation.”  

Comment byu/Edm_vanhalen1981 from discussion inMusic

Between Wonder slowing down his touring, and BST Hyde Park’s headliners selling out all but one show, fans wanting to see him live will have to act quickly to secure tickets. Although he has other dates around the UK, the London show will be the closest for any fans in the south of England. Tickets for his BST Hyde Park shows will be available here.

In a recent interview, Joanne talked about how important it is for her to “just keep touring” and “Hopefully keep making good albums, albums I’m proud of, you know that I can look back on and still enjoy.”

During these concerts, Joanne will captivate the crowds with songs from her highly acclaimed albums, Nobody’s Fool and The Blues Album, which reached the top of Billboard Magazine’s Official Blues Album Chart. Additionally, she will treat her fans to new songs from her upcoming album, including the tracks “Sweet ‘Lil Lies” and “Black Magic.”

The Blues Album was recognized as the No.1 most played blues album of 2021 by the Independent Blues Broadcaster’s Association, solidifying Joanne’s status as a true blues artist. Furthermore, she will delve into her extensive back catalogue, carefully selecting songs from albums such as “Reckless Heart,” “Nothin’ to lose,” and “The Dirty Truth.”

Joanne’s latest single, “Black Magic,” is a testament to her exceptional talent. Crafted in collaboration with renowned producer Kevin Shirley at the legendary RCA Studio A in Nashville, the song features stellar artists like Rob McNelly, Doug Lancio, Alison Prestwood, Jimmy Wallace, and Anton Fig.

Joanne’s partnership with Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records continues to thrive, allowing her music to reach her dedicated fanbase worldwide, while maintaining its authenticity and integrity. This collaboration, combined with Joanne’s boundless creativity, guarantees a steady flow of remarkable releases that stand out amidst the noise of the music industry.

Joanne’s journey to stardom began when she was discovered by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics at the young age of 16. Since then, she has toured the world and received endorsements from music legends such as Stevie Wonder, solidifying her position as a rising star in the industry.

In an interview Joanne recalls getting a compliment from Stevie Wonder, She said, “It was his drum tech that came and found me, because I was trying to get out, it was chaos when everyone was trying to leave. He was like hey, I’m Stevie’s drum tech, he wanted me to tell you if I saw you, that you know, he loved your really clean blues sound. I was like oh, well that worked out well.”

The ‘Joanne Shaw Taylor’ tour 2024 dates are listed below.
Planet Rock are holding a pre-sale ticket grab, that can be found here, followed by the official ticket sale 17 November which can be purchased here.

17/02/2024 – Royal Northern College of Music – Manchester
18/02 – Queen Margaret Union – Glasgow
19/02 – City Varieties Music Hall – Leeds
21/02 – The Fire Station – Sunderland
22/02 – Indigo at The O2 – London
23/02 – Wulfrun Hall – Wolverhampton
25/2 – The Waterfront – Norwich
26/02 – De La Warr Pavilion – Bexhill On Sea
28/02 – The Apex – Bury St Edmunds
29/02 – Palace Theatre – Southend-On-Sea

The star-studded gospel-inspired track is set to be featured on The Rolling Stones’ upcoming album Hackney Diamonds, which is the band’s first full-length release of new material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. Stevie Wonder had already been confirmed to be on the album, however Lady Gaga’s appearance, whilst heavily rumored, had never been confirmed. This new track follows the release of the previous single, ‘Angry’.

Talking to Zane Lowe for an interview on Apple Music 1, Mick Jagger discussed the collaboration with Lady Gaga on the track, as he said: “We did it live in the room, and that was a great experience, her just coming in the room and her just opening up and seeing her bits and feeling her way and then getting more confident. And then we came back and then did some extra parts that we hadn’t done on the day and then we did some tidying up and we were just in the overdub room, really face-to-face, getting them really tight, the parts really tight, and then being slightly competitive and screaming.”

Talking about Lady Gaga, Jagger also added: “She’s a really great singer and I’d never heard her sing quite that style before”. The song’s sessions also included legendary musician Stevie Wonder, who toured with the Stones in 1972.

Mick Jagger also spoke about playing with Wonder in the interview, as he said: “It’s all played live. And of course, we did overdubs, but it’s all played in the room. Yeah, there’s that moment, especially in that session where we had Stevie, and you’re feeling your way out a little bit and then you do that soul ending, which is you do sometimes on stage where you stop and you start.”

It seems it was the idea of producer Andrew Watt to have Stevie Wonder on the album. A self-confessed fan who even has a Stevie Wonder tattoo, Watt pushed the band to think about the collaboration, he said: “How cool, as a fan, for Stevie Wonder to be playing on a Rolling Stones song?”

The album will also feature original drummer Charlie Watts on two tracks. The drummer unfortunately passed away in 2021 but the band were able to use some of the drum tracks he laid down before his death.

The upcoming album Hackney Diamonds releases on October 20^th and will be available on CD, Vinyl and on all major music streaming platforms.

Frontman Mick Jagger spoke on a Canadian Podcast, ‘Q with Tom Power’ to promote the new album and he revealed that a follow-up is already being worked on as he said: “This won’t be the last album. We are two-thirds through the next one.”

This will come as a massive shock to long-time Rolling Stones fans as before Hackney Diamonds, which is due for release on October 20^th, the last full-length album of original music the band had released was 2005’s A Bigger Bang.

The new album, Hackney Diamonds, will feature original drummer, Charlie Watts – who unfortunately died in August 2021 from cancer. Watts plays on 2 songs whilst his replacement Steve Jordan plays on the rest of the tracks. Jagger earlier this month confirmed this as he said: “There’s 12 tracks on the album. Most are with Steve, but two are tracks we recorded in 2019 with Charlie. We used two of the tracks that we recorded with Charlie before.”

Commenting at a special event at Hackney Empire in London earlier this month, guitarist Keith Richards commented on Watts’ absence, saying: “Ever since Charlie’s gone it’s different, of course, he’s number four, he’s missing. Of course he’s missed, incredibly. But thanks to Charlie Watts we have Steve Jordan – who was Charlie’s recommendation should anything happen to him, Steve Jordan is your man. It would have been a lot harder without Charlie’s blessing.”

It can only be assumed at this point that the follow-up album is being worked on with replacement drummer, Steve Jordan, however that is ultimately unknown.

First and foremost, the band is currently gearing up for the release of Hackney Diamonds with lead single ‘Angry’ already released.

The album features star studded collaborations including Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

Talking about Paul McCartney making it on the album, Jagger claims it was unexpected, as he said: “Paul was in LA when we were recording and he was supposed to work with Andy one week. Andy had said, ‘I am working on this record and I will be on it for six months if I do nothing else. Andy said, ‘Why don’t we get Paul to come in?’. We suggested he played on this tune, and he really rocked it. We were all in a room together. “It seemed so natural and Paul was so relaxed and he enjoyed it. John [Lennon] was a close friend of mine and he was so acerbic. Paul is a different kind of personality. We don’t see each other that much but we do text.”

During the” Rocketman” singer’s appearance at The White House, he will perform for American president Joe Bidden; the two have a famously close relationship. Within his 2017 memoir, Biden revealed that he listened to Sir John’s music with his children, and when one of his sons was struggling with brain cancer Biden would sing Sir John’s music to his son in the hospital.

Sir John has played for a myriad of noted figures; the upcoming performance will mark the second president who has enjoyed an intimate performance from the “Tiny Dancer” singer. In 1998 the beloved artist was invited to perform a one-off set at a state dinner; those in attendance were then President Bill Clinton and then Prime Minister Tony Blair. During the concert, Sir John was joined by fellow iconic pianist Stevie Wonder. Speaking on Sir John’s upcoming return to the Washington residence, a White House official told CNN Sir John had “expressed an interest on his behalf in playing again at the White House“.

A press release offers further information about the event; it states the concert will “celebrate the unifying and healing power of music, commend the life and work of Sir Elton John, and honor the everyday history-makers in the audience, including teachers, nurses, frontline workers, mental health advocates, students, LGBTQ+ advocates and more.“

It has been reported that plans for the concert were set out months ago, and the funding from the event has been acquired from A&E Networks and The History Channel. At this moment, a large tent is being raised on The White House’s South Lane; the preparation and construction for the event started on Monday. Information concerning the guest list has also been confirmed; it has been reported that 2,000 guests have received an invitation to attend the event. Alongside recently elected Joe Bidden, the president’s wife, Dr Jill Biden, will also be in attendance. The married couple will address the crowd before the concert and are also expected to make remarks during the performance.

The concert set to take place this Friday is promised to be televised for the public to consume and enjoy; however, no concrete date has been issued for fans to tune in to watch Sir John.

John took to his Instagram to announce the single’s release.

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This is not the first time the legendary artists have teamed up, the duo previously worked together on tracks “I Guess That’s Why They Call It Blues” and the cover of “That’s What Friends Are For”. The 1985 cover single featured a juggernaut of musical talent, including iconic artists Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight. The recording was credited to Dionne and Friends and was released as a charity single in support of AIDS research and prevention.

Produced by Andrew Watt, the new track features two of music’s most talented pianists and is truly a celebration of the duo’s talent. Both musicians take lead on vocals and along with a resounding choir backing the powerful lyrics the single packs a soulful punch. The track is surely destined to be an iconic duet with both artists’ trademark sound heard throughout, including Wonder’s signature harmonica solo.

John has given the following statement concerning the new duet. ’I couldn’t be more proud of ‘Finish Line’, I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the best records I’ve ever made.”

In the upcoming episode of John’s show Rocket Hour on Apple Music, the duo spoke with Watt and further discuss their new track. John describes the musical process in which led to the track’s creation. “This track I did with Stevie Wonder is a very unusual way of writing. Usually, I write to lyrics, but I wrote the melody first in the studio, and then your girl put lyrics to it. And then Stevie came along and played piano. I played electric piano, and then he did harmonica on it. And then we were trying to get another vocalist on it and he wouldn’t do it because I think he thought he’d done enough. And then you put the gospel choir on, Kanye West Gospel Choir on it.”

John continues to celebrate his friend and musical partner’s talents as well as their friendship. .”… it was magical, magical, the way this thing came together was a series of accidents in a way. I’m so proud of this record because I love him so much. He’s always been so kind to me and so sweet to me, the talent is beyond ridiculous. And it was just lovely to spend time with him and just see this wonderful human being smiling and happy and playing on a record of mine.”

Wonder also spoke on the duo’s relationship stating that John’s “wisdom, pain, soul, love, and resilience” is heard within the track. Wonder proceeded to discuss their spiritual and musical connection, “And Elton, anyone who hears your voice singing “Finish Line”, will hear and feel your wisdom, your pain, your soul, your love, but also your resilience….. I love it!! Congratulations to you and our forever and never, never-ending music, friendship, life-song! Long live Sir Elton John!!!”

John’s new album The Lockdown Sessions is set to be released on 22nd October 2021 and features a star-studded list of artists including Dua Lipa, Lil Nas X, Eddie Vedder and Steve Nicks.

Click here to stream/download “Finish Line“.

Click here to pre-order The Lockdown Sessions.

Click here to listen to the full Rocket Hour episode broadcasted on 02/10/2021 at 5 pm.

The festival is returning for its seventh year, to Hyde Park, between the 5th of July and the 14th of July 2019. The event will see music lovers enjoy performances from the biggest names out there today to handpicked rising-stars from the heart of the nations capitol. Tickets will go on sale, on Friday the 29th of March 2019, at 9am, with general admission tickets starting at £69.95.

Speaking about his performance, and what can be expected, Stevie, said: “We’re living in a time where there’s so much is going on in the world. But the one thing that we know for sure that we can celebrate is life, love and music. I’m very thankful that you all have been so wonderful to me, giving me your life and allowing me to share my music with you since I was 11 years old, which was just a little ago. So, we’re just going to play and have fun.”

NEWSFLASH: @StevieWonder headlines Saturday 6 July with VERY special guest @LionelRichie for one epic Song Party!
Barclaycard pre-sale starts NOW: https://t.co/tKaWuRK8t3
Our pre-sale starts 9am Thursday: https://t.co/2fxRPnQtwC
Tickets on sale 9am Friday

Get ready! pic.twitter.com/8L1PFchsmf

— BST Hyde Park (@BSTHydePark) March 26, 2019

Meanwhile, Senior Vice President of AEG Presents, James King, said: “There are headliners, great headliners, line ups, stellar line-ups and a thousand other adjectives we use but we will never find the one that correctly describes what will be happening in Hyde Park on Saturday July 6th. Stevie Wonder is singing his biggest hits for his very own Song Party and for good measure, and to our mutual amazement, joy and wonder, he is also bringing his good friend Lionel Richie. See you down the front.”

Beyonce halted her Nashville leg of the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour to honour the victim, dimming the stage lights before proceeding to sing her fitting hit ‘Halo’. Rapper Young Jeezy released ‘It’s a Cold World’ specifically in Martin’s memory, a requiem that was taken up by the crowd of protestors in the aptly named Union Square. There has been a flurry of tweets from the likes of Tom Morello, Katy Perry, Rihanna, P Diddy, Chuck D and Nicki Minaj, slighting what Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest describes as a ‘miscarriage of justice’.

Most interesting of all, Soul legend Stevie Wonder yesterday announced at his gig in Quebec City that “until the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again… as a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world.”

These offerings are admirable no doubt, some say that figures with influence have a duty to provoke responses from their podiums, but in this instance, a trial that has roots within the 2^nd amendment, a popular controversy that wasn’t even revoked during the horrific 2012 ‘Aurora Shooting’, it seems implausible that the state would respond to the threatening of a musician’s relinquishment of performance.

Having said that, it is not unheard of for stars to inspire change; John Lennon’s ethos (“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal”) helped to alter the way society viewed conflict, however to imagine that a singular artist’s boycott will rouse politicians definitively, is somewhat naïve. Hopefully we will see the unification of popular figures over the coming weeks. It is after all a very noble cause.