Stevie Wonder moves DNC crowd with emotional speech and performance of 'Higher Ground'

On Wednesday, Stevie Wonder took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, delivering a heartfelt speech and performing his 1973 hit single.

Wonder, addressing the thousands at the United Center, expressed his love for the audience, saying, “I like you. Each track that I’ve sing, each track that I’ve written is due to my love for you proper right here.” He continued, “However this 12 months, I prayed very laborious for peace to come back to our world’s nations, but additionally to every one in all our hearts, despite the fact that our hearts have been crushed and damaged past prayer.” He urged the crowd to “Now could be the time to grasp the place we’re and what it should take to win. Win the damaged hearts, win the disenchanted, win the indignant spirits — now could be the time.”

Wonder encouraged the audience to “select braveness over complacency” and to “carry on maintaining on till we actually are a united individuals of those United States,” before launching into his performance of “Higher Ground.” Supported by dancers in white, he sang, “Individuals carry on studying/Troopers carry on warring/World carry on turning/’Trigger it gained’t be too lengthy.”

Kamala Harris, a longtime fan of Wonder, has previously shared that his album Songs in the Key of Life is her favorite. In 2020, she celebrated his birthday and called him a “residing legend and longtime hero of mine.” Recently, during Duke Fakir’s funeral service, Wonder also paid tribute to Harris by simply stating her name multiple times.