Latest news with #Wonder
Black America Web
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Stevie Wonder Clears the Air on Blindness Rumors
Source: Justin Engelhardt / Radio-One Stevie Wonder recently addressed the long-standing rumor questioning his blindness during a stop on his 'Love, Light and Song' U.K. tour in Cardiff, Wales, as reported by Variety. Speaking to the audience on July 9, Wonder tackled the speculation with his signature humor and grace. In footage captured by fans, Wonder joked about the persistent rumors, saying, 'When did I want to let the world know this? But I wanted to say it right now.' He acknowledged the chatter about his ability to see, earning laughs from the crowd, before delivering a heartfelt response: 'Seriously, you know the truth.' Wonder clarified his condition, stating, 'Shortly after my birth, I became blind. 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?' The rumors, which have circulated for decades, have even been fueled by celebrities. Lionel Richie once joked on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' about an incident where Wonder pretended to drive a car, leaving Richie momentarily stunned. Wonder's playful sense of humor has often added fuel to the fire, but his recent remarks in Wales offered a poignant perspective on his life and vision. By addressing the rumors head-on, Wonder reminded fans of his unique ability to see beyond physical appearances, focusing instead on the spirit and essence of people. His words resonated deeply, showcasing the wisdom and perspective that have made him a beloved icon for generations. RELATED: 1974: Stevie Wonder Makes History… Again | Black Music Month SEE ALSO Stevie Wonder Clears the Air on Blindness Rumors was originally published on
Eater
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
The D.C. Restaurant Openings to Know This July
This is Eater's guide to all the new restaurants, bars, and cafes that have opened this month. If there's an opening in your neighborhood that we've missed, let us know at dc@ July 29 Downtown: Barbouzard – which means 'secret agent' in French – brings a lauded chef's longstanding recipes, bespoke music, and late-night aspirations to the busy corner of 17th and K Street NW on Tuesday, July 29. French American chef and partner Cedric Maupillier showcases his South of France education and upbringing across Barbouzard's plates, highlighting the elegance of the Riviera and the rest of the vast Mediterranean coast. The menu features grilled fish and seafood, plenty of vegetable dishes, seafood towers, and caviar (martinis), along with a short list of meats, steak-frites, and pasta. The 6,493-square-foot restaurant also houses a central DJ booth and stage for live piano, sax, guitar, and violin performances. Weekend hours extend until 1 a.m. 1700 K Street NW July 25 Gordon Ramsay's new Backyard burger. Gordon Ramsay Street Burger Penn Quarter: Celebrity chef and television personality Gordon Ramsay's burger chain lands stateside for the first time on Friday, July 25, on the lower level of his Street Pizza location on 7th Street. Street Burger's debut location in D.C. puts a twist on patties, serving 'American-style' smash burgers that you won't currently find at any of the nine U.K. locations. The five-ounce double smash patties comes in many forms, from the familiar In-N-Out style burger, called 'Next Level,' with caramelized onions, pickles, and a spicy aioli to a Hell's Kitchen-inspired burger with spicy tomato chutney, crispy onions, and jalapeños. There are also fried chicken sandwiches, vegan burgers made with harissa-spiced vegetables, buckets of chicken wings, $5 draft beers, and loaded fries on the new menu. 507 7th Street NW July 24 Rosslyn: Next-gen food hall Wonder opened its first Virginia location on Thursday, July 24, serving up dishes from iconic restaurants around the nation, like Brooklyn's Di Fara Pizza, Tejas Barbecue from Texas, and Marcus Samuelsson's Streetbird. Wonder recruits superstar chefs to lend their names and recipes, as well as co-develop exclusive concepts just for them, such as Greek-inspired Chios Taverna from celebrity chef Michael Symon in Rosslyn. The kitchen churns out dishes from 20 eateries in all, allowing diners to try an array of cuisines in the small dining area or delivered straight to their front door by Wonder drivers. The food hall touts a door-to-door delivery time of 30 minutes or less. 1771 N. Pierce St., Unit 100, Rosslyn, Virginia July 20 Georgetown: Yala Greek Ice Cream's founder Chrys Kefalas brought D.C. a unique taste of Rhodes — the Greek isle where his family is from — on Sunday, July 20 (National Ice Cream day). Relying on farm-fresh cream and premium ingredients sourced from the Mediterranean, opening flavors range from Greek classics like baklava and cherry studded with chocolate chunks to familiar American favorites like rocky road and cookies and cream. A strawberry vegan sorbet and several frozen Greek yogurt options are also available. Color-changing spoons are a whimsical touch in a bright blue-and-white Georgetown shop that speaks to Greece's flag. 3143 N Street NW Related The Inside Scoop on the Greek Ice Cream Shop Coming to Georgetown July 18 Dupont Circle: Selva started serving up Central and South American classics — from Peruvian chicken and continent-spanning ceviches, to playful takes on internationally beloved dishes like patatas bravas made with crispy bites of yuca — on Friday, July 18. Executive chef Giovanni Orellana is creating dishes inspired by his birthplace of El Salvador and his decades-long culinary career working at Peruvian, Italian, and Mexican restaurants. Mayflower Club owner Antonis Karagounis is behind the new restaurant, which is his first sit-down spot since opening Rewind Diner in 2018. The verdant green artwork and velvet furniture make the cozy restaurant – named after the Spanish word for 'jungle' – the perfect place to have a filling meal and ease into a night out, with plenty of tasting flights of liquors distilled across the Americas and the Mayflower Club on the floor below. 1223 Connecticut Avenue NW July 17 Old Town: Thompson Restaurants brought its Southern-styled brunch chain Milk & Honey to the heart of Old Town Alexandria on Thursday, July 17. The two-story space that formerly housed Thompson's Hen Quarter features two full-service bars, a large private dining room, and seating for up to 188. 801 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia Foggy Bottom: Taco Cat, an adorable, all-day taco shop from vet D.C. restaurateur Tim Ma, quietly sauntered into Western Market food hall in mid-July. An unapologetically fun menu loops in lots of global flavors into tacos, burritos, and tortas. Along with classic breakfast tacos on corn tortillas, the morning menu also includes the levanta muertos ('wake the dead') ceviche packed with shrimp, cucumbers, red onions, tomato dressing, hot sauce, avocado, and Tajín. For the ultimate wake-up call, there's an option to add a tequila shot for $4. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW July 14 Clarendon: Around since 2003, New York City's vegetable-loving cafe Westville debuts its first location outside of its Big Apple-area home base on Monday, July 14. Located at the Crossing Clarendon, Westville specializes in char-grilled turkey burgers, truffle fries, and 20-plus rotating market veggies like crispy Brussels sprouts and pesto mashed potatoes, plus veggie chili and carrot cake for lunch, dinner, and brunch. A full bar slings wines and beers from the DMV and home-made cocktails like a strawberry Aperol spritz and blood orange paloma. 2800 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia Westville's menu goes heavy on fresh vegetables. July 11 National Landing: D.C. hospitality brothers Ian and Eric Hilton (H2 Collective) opened all-day French brasserie Bar Colline on Friday, July 11. Located next to Amazon HQ2, Bar Colline is their massive metropolitan answer to the charming original (Cafe Colline), which debuted in 2020 in an Arlington suburb. H2's longtime chef Brendan L'Etoile imports its top-selling steak frites dunked in bearnaise, croque madame, and duck confit. A 50-foot wraparound bar slings spritzes, local beers, and wines, with daily happy hour that includes $6 red, white, and rosé pours from 3-6 p.m. 269 19th Court S., Arlington, Virginia Related A Supersized French Bistro Swings Open Near Amazon HQ2 Woodley Park: Ethiopian-owned Yours Cafe debuted in mid-July with coffee drinks made from beans roasted in-house, plus breakfast and brunch served all day daily (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Order wine, beer, and cocktails (naturally, a great espresso martini) starting at 11 a.m. 2619 Connecticut Avenue NW July 10 14th Street NW: The first D.C. location of unconventional food hall Wonder opened up just off U Street on Thursday, July 10, churning out dishes from celebrity chefs like Michael Symon, Marcus Samuelsson, Bobby Flay, Nancy Silverton, and José Andrés. Ordering from screens or the Wonder app, diners can order everything from a pizza from Brooklyn's famous Di Fara or a Samuelsson-certified fried chicken sandwich on one tab. Wonder's culinary team makes everything, from Mexican or barbecue to Greek pastries, on-site. The chef-lauded food hall will soon embark on a local expansion tear, with locations planned for the West End, College Park, Cleveland Park, Reston, Franconia, and Navy Yard. 1925 14th Street NW Union Market: Baltimore-born Crepe Crazy DMV brings its sweet and savory crepes down to D.C. with a new stall inside Union Market. 1309 5th Street NE July 1 Union Market: Shilling Canning Company's cult-favorite fried chicken finds a standalone home inside Union Market. Chef Reid Shilling's new fast-casual venture Fancy Ranch sources all foul from family-owned Amish farms in Indiana and Pennsylvania. The casual bar is serving up white or dark meat with a cornbread waffle slathered in maple butter and fun sides like aji verde potato salad, classic slaw, or slow-cooked beans. Make your chicken even fancier by adding on caviar and a glass of Champagne. Fancy Ranch's long-term pop-up residency lasts through September. 1309 5th Street NE H Street: Chef Tim Ma is at it again, this time with an all-you-can-eat sushi spot for H Street NE. Sushi Sato, located in the recently closed Bronze space, offers endless nigiri, rolls, and izakaya dishes for $55-$75 (with a two-hour time limit). A namesake 'Sato roll' showcases soft-shell crab, eel, and scallop dressed with a spicy sauce. Izakaya orders include everything from steak sandos to monkfish karaage. Ma is also behind the newly opened Lucky Danger in Penn Quarter. Eater DC All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Stevie Wonder's 'heart is broken' after death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Stevie Wonder's 'heart is broken' following the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The 75-year-old singer admitted he is devastated after Warner, 54, died in a drowning incident in Costa Rica at the weekend. He told TMZ: 'My heart is broken because not only was he a talented man growing up and doing The Cosby Show, but even more important his commitment was telling the story, the truth. 'And for me, in a time where we have so many in high places telling low-down lies, we need the truth. So yeah, I miss him. 'I hope that the writers, the singers, rappers will begin to spread messages of positivity, of hope, and us moving this world forward. I'm quiet, but my heart is hurting.' Wonder went on to make a cultural comparison between Warner and West African traditions. He said: 'I don't know if you know what a 'grio' is, a 'griot.' It's like the African who told the stories in the various villages would have the griot. Whenever a griot would die, it would be like a whole library of information burning.' According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary,: 'An African tribal storyteller and musician is called a griot. The griot's role was to preserve the genealogies and oral traditions of the tribe.' Wonder made a memorable appearance with Warner in an episode of the The Cosby Show in 1986, in which he played himself and found himself in a car accident with Denise (Lisa Bonet). Warner and the rest of the cast then joined Wonder for a performance of I Just Called to Say I Love You. Warner died near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, after getting caught by a rip current. According to police, he was rescued by onlookers who took him to shore, where he received treatment, but he was declared dead by the Costa Rican Red Cross.
Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Magnificent: Stevie Wonder at BST Hyde Park reviewed
The highs of Stevie Wonder's Hyde Park show were magnificently high. The vast band were fully clicked into that syncopated, swampy funk, horns stabbing through the synths, the backing singers adding gospel fervour. And Wonder – now 75 – sang like it was still the 1970s, his voice raspy one minute, angelic the next. Anyone who heard that phenomenal group play 'Living for the City' or 'Superstition' and didn't feel 'ants in my pants and I need to dance', as James Brown once put it, should resign from life: they do not deserve such joy. That said, there were oddities. We were blessed with visits from four of Wonder's nine children, two of whom were given whole songs to sing while the great man had a breather, as were three of the backing singers. Then there was the opening of the show: ten minutes of Wonder addressing the crowd, who maintained a respectful silence while being told over and over – in different formulations and intermittent lapses into faux cockney – that there was too much anger in the world and we all needed to love each other. He couldn't decided whether he wanted to be Dick Van Dyke or Martin Luther King. Needless to say, scientists have as yet ascertained no link between pop stars telling concert-goers that we need to love each other more and increased social cohesion. Actually, the latest studies suggest that the longer such lecturing goes on, the more irritation among those being lectured rises. It's a phenomenon some call the 'Imagine Syndrome', which Wonder exemplified by then playing 'Imagine', so we could hear its timeless message of triteness through fresh ears. But within four songs we were at 'Master Blaster', then 'Higher Ground' and one was willing to forgive everything – all the gloopy ballads, all the showbizzery, even the white jacket with diamanté portraits of John Lennon and Marvin Gaye. Even singing 'Happy Birthday' to his youngest daughter was fabulous because it was Stevie Wonder's 'Happy Birthday', not the song that launched a thousand cakes. There comes a point where you have to see these people before it's too late. I'm glad I got to see Stevie Wonder while he was still recognisably good enough to be Stevie Wonder because some legends are at the point where it's their catalogues rather than their voices that bring 65,000 people out. The day after Wonder, Hyde Park was meant to host the final show by Jeff Lynne's ELO, but a 'systemic infection' had forced him to cancel. I had seen Lynne a few times, and it was always tremendous fun. The week before, I had been at Villa Park, watching the final performance by Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, which was extraordinary and moving. What struck me was how under-celebrated the Birmingham music scene of the late 1960s has been. You can't move for the mythologising of Manchester and Liverpool pop, and though the city bigs up its links to metal, you rarely hear about the products of Brumbeat. But this was the generation that gave us Steve Winwood (and the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic), Lynne, Ozzy and Sabbath, Roy Wood (who was the pre-eminent genius of the lot at the time), the Moody Blues and half of Led Zeppelin. That's one of rock's greatest cities, not the butt of a joke. Finally to Heavenly, the most overqualified group in pop history (seriously, Google them). They are the unlikely heroes to a small but dedicated scene, known as indie-pop or twee-pop, in which emotional directness trumps technical virtuosity: Kurt Cobain loved them for being punk rock and entirely without machismo. Theirs is a political stance based on not compromising principles (the show was part of a DIY weekender they had organised themselves) and being avowedly feminist ('Hearts and Crosses' sets a story of rape against queasy fairground organ). That makes it sound strident and hectoring, but Heavenly are not that. The songs would not have troubled Steely Dan's session guys, but they are full of joy, vim, life. Best of all, there were plenty of twentysomethings in the crowd, filming and dancing and singing along. No need to be Stevie Wonder to be an inspiration to the generations to come; simply capture something truthful.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"I'm not gonna stop": Stevie Wonder has no plans to retire
Music icon Stevie Wonder said that as long as he's alive, he will continue to perform and create music, stating, "I'm not gonna stop the gift that keeps pouring through my body," according to People. Music icon Stevie Wonder said that as long as he's alive, he will continue to perform and create music, stating, "I'm not gonna stop the gift that keeps pouring through my body," according to People. "For as long as you breathe, for as long as your heart beats, there's more for you to do," said Wonder. He added that "an artist doesn't stop drawing just because." Instead, "you keep on. So as long as you can imagine, as long as you are going to be creative, and as long as you let your mind work, you don't have to retire." Wonder, who released his debut studio album when he was 12 years old, said that even to this day, "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," reported People. He added, "I love doing what I'm doing." When it comes to his many successes, like "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," "Superstition," and "I Just Called to Say I Love You," the 25-time Grammy winner has no trouble performing them repeatedly. "Songs are like children, they're with you forever," he said, explaining that "they are statements from the spirit within you, and singing those songs is like me taking another breath," reported People. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Wonder, who made a surprise performance at the 2025 Met Gala, is currently slated to play his many hits around the country with Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation's Broken Heart tour, which has upcoming stops planned for Pittsburgh, New York City and Atlanta, as per the outlet. Before that he was most recently playing live onstage in the United Kingdom for the Love, Light & Song UK Tour. It was during a July stop at Blackweir Fields in Cardiff, Wales, the singer made headlines after he joked about rumors that he can actually see. "I must say to all of you, something that I was thinking: 'When did I want to let the world know this?' But I wanted to say it right now," Wonder began. "You know, there have been rumours about me seeing and all that?" "But seriously, you know the truth. Truth is, shortly after my birth, I became blind," he continued. "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?," reported People.
