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“I’m not really Stevie Wonder,” the legendary singer Stevie Wonder joked onstage Saturday at the Sing world premiere at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
He added, “I can drive and everything. I swear.”
But Wonder couldn’t deny it was really him after taking the stage to perform a surprise set that included “Superstition” and “Jingle Bells.” There were tears of joy and dancing in the audience as everyone was in awe of the surprise they were just gifted with.
Sing director Garth Jennings spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about having the gift of Wonder be a part of his movie. “All the songs we wanted, we got,” he said. “And then when we asked Stevie Wonder to work on a song with us, Stevie Wonder said yes!”
Pointing to the legendary artist on the red carpet, Jennings added, “There’s Stevie Wonder! How the hell did that happen? I’m not joking. Could you imagine how I felt when I heard that he was doing it? He and his family saw it the other day and they all loved it. That’s why he’s here. When you get Stevie Wonder endorsing your movie, which celebrates his favorite thing in the world, then that means a lot!”
Sing star Taron Edgerton gushed to THR, “I just met Stevie Wonder! Stevie has been a hero of mine since I was a little boy. I’ve seen him live so to actually shake his hand is a true moment. He’s been charged with funk and soul.”
Edgerton’s co-stars Seth MacFarlane, Jennifer Hudson and Tori Kelly were the opening act to Wonder’s performance after the film’s screening.
MacFarlane embodied his movie character Mike by doing a jazzy number to start off the show. Kelly then hit the stage and was joined by Hudson for a duet of “Hallelujah.”
Universal Pictures followed the surprise concert with an afterparty featuring gift bags, a feast of food (that included pizza, tater tots, hot dogs and juice boxes for all of the kids in attendance), a live DJ and a t-shirt-making station where fans could get a shirt with their favorite character from the film on it.
Sing stars Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey also were in attendance.
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