Stevie Wonder closed a day of music, speeches and celebration surrounding the opening of the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side on Thursday, delivering a performance that mixed some of his best-known songs with a personal recollection of his first meeting with Barack Obama more than two decades ago.
The legendary singer, songwriter and activist headlined the event, which brought together artists, political figures and community leaders to mark the launch of the landmark presidential centre. Wonder’s appearance culminated in a mass performance of his classic song Higher Ground, joined by an all-star cast that included Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Eddie Vedder, Common, Jennifer Hudson and Christina Aguilera.
The performance served as both a celebration of Obama’s legacy and a reflection on the long relationship between Wonder and the former United States president.
Backed by The Roots, Wonder opened his set with All I Do, the enduring favourite from his 1980 album Hotter Than July. He then moved into Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours, the 1970 hit that remains one of the defining recordings of his catalogue.
Before launching into the latter part of the performance, Wonder paused to share a story about his first encounter with Obama in 2004, when Obama was campaigning for the United States Senate seat in Illinois.
According to Wonder, music executive Steve McKeever approached him at Wonderland Studios and explained that an emerging politician named Barack Obama wanted to invite him to perform at a campaign event.
Wonder recalled meeting Obama at the studio and spending time talking about the future. During that conversation, he said he felt a conviction that Obama’s ambitions would extend beyond the Senate.
“I said, ‘in my spirit, I know that you’re running to be senator, but I’m seeing you as being a president’,” Wonder told the audience.
He said the pair then prayed together about the possibility.
“And so we prayed on it. And now we see what faith without fear, living in truth and understanding that we have to follow that spirit of positivity.”
Wonder continued by reflecting on the fulfilment of that prediction.
“Because I believed it, I knew it, I imagined it then, now we are celebrating it. President Barack Obama.”
The remarks drew a strong response from the crowd before Wonder delivered what became one of the central messages of the afternoon.
“So I want you to remember, all of you, never let fear put your dreams to sleep.”
The moment highlighted a theme that has been present throughout much of Wonder’s career. Beyond his status as one of popular music’s most influential songwriters, he has frequently used public appearances to advocate for social justice, civil rights and community engagement.
The Obama Presidential Center opening offered a natural setting for that message. The centre, located in Chicago’s South Side community, has been designed to preserve and present the history of the Obama presidency while supporting educational and community initiatives in the region.
For Wonder, the event also represented another chapter in a relationship that stretches back to Obama’s earliest political campaigns. Long before Obama became the 44th President of the United States, Wonder was among the prominent cultural figures who publicly supported him.
That personal connection added weight to the performance, transforming it from a concert appearance into a reflection on two decades of political and cultural history.
The finale brought together some of the day’s most prominent performers. Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Eddie Vedder, Common and Bruce Springsteen joined Wonder on stage for Higher Ground, creating one of the event’s defining moments.
Common contributed an improvised verse that referenced Chicago, the Obama Center and several of the artists sharing the stage. He also paid tribute to Obama and former President Joe Biden while acknowledging the city’s civil rights legacy and community leaders.
The collaborative performance underscored the broad coalition of artists who had gathered for the celebration and reinforced the themes of unity, perseverance and optimism that ran throughout the event.
As the Obama Presidential Center begins its next phase as a public institution, Wonder’s performance provided a musical bookend to the day’s proceedings. For the audience in Chicago, it was both a concert and a reminder of the role music can play in marking significant moments in public life.
Setlist
All I Do
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
Higher Ground (with Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Eddie Vedder & Common)
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