Stevie Wonder Announces He Will Be Having A Kidney Transplant

He wowed audiences with hit after incredible hit at his set at British Summer Time in Hyde Park London, Saturday.

But Stevie Wonder’s ‘Song Party’ ended on a sour note. The soul legend sadly revealed he will have a kidney transplant later this year.

Fans at the festival reacted to the news with stunned silence, before exploding into a loud, supportive cheer.

The 69-year-old singer had just finished playing the song ‘Superstition’ when he told the crowd he wanted to prevent “rumors” about his health.

The iconic singer-songwriter told a 70,000 packed audience that he will do three more shows before taking a break from music.

“So what’s gonna happen is this, I’m going to have surgery, I’m going to have a kidney transplant in September of this year. I’m all good, I’m all good, I’m all good. I have a donor, it’s all good,” Wonder said. “I want you to know I came here to give you my love and to thank you for your love. You ain’t gotta hear no rumors about nothing, I told you what’s up. I’m good. All right?”

The Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday that Wonder had been battling “a serious but manageable health issue” and has been touring overseas with a medical team.

Wonder became blind since shortly after his birth. But remarkably, he learned to play piano, drums and harmonica by age 9 and signed to Motown in 1961.

Since then, he has won 25 Grammy Awards, an honorary award and has been nominated 74 times.

Wonder’s support act at Saturday’s gig was his friend Lionel Richie.

The moment, this evening at Hyde Park, Stevie Wonder told us why he would be taking a break from performing…. pic.twitter.com/pwfjnczGKx

— Aleem Maqbool (@AleemMaqbool) July 6, 2019

In 2017 Wonder paid tribute to the former Commodores front man by covering Easy at his Kennedy Centre Honours ceremony.

Richie later remarked: “I got into the business because I wanted to be like Stevie Wonder, so for all of a sudden for Stevie to be singing my song, it was surreal

According to the NHS, says the most common reason for needing a transplant is kidney failure or end-stage chronic kidney disease.

It is possible to donate a kidney while still alive as people only need one kidney to survive.