Jamie Foxx created a truly magical moment when he serenaded Oprah Winfrey for the 25th anniversary of her show, and the talk show host queen got visibly emotional as he sang “Isn’t She Lovely.” Winfrey wasn’t expecting the serenade, which was introduced by Will Smith, but the two actors had planned an even bigger surprise for Winfrey. Halfway through the song, Stevie Wonder rose on a lift from under the stage and took over from Foxx in singing his 1976 hit!
Winfrey was already deeply moved by Foxx’s heartfelt serenade, but she squealed like a teenage girl at a Beatles concert when Wonder made his shock appearance. The crowd was just as hyped, creating a totally electric vibe in the room. At the anniversary event, Foxx proved himself to be an incredible R&B vocalist, and I know I don’t need to tell readers that Wonder just knocked it out of the park, like he does at every performance he’s ever done.
Foxx planned the surprise for a show that aired in May 2011, which marked 25 years since the start of The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986. The performance proved to be a hit on YouTube, where it gained 6.7 million views. Fans loved the performance, and added comments such as “Jamie Foxx is certainly underrated as a singer, his voice is pure gold! God granted him so much talent!” and “I like Jamie, but I totally broke down seeing and hearing Stevie Wonder! A true legend.”
We always have time for a Stevie Wonder performance here. One of his most popular performances in recent years is when he dropped into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to sing with Bill Withers and John Legend on “Lean On Me.” The soul supergroup hit the stage together to celebrate Withers’ induction to the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Stevie Wonder released “Isn’t She Lovely” in February 1977 as the second single from his classic eighteenth studio album Songs in the Key of Life. Wonder is the sole credited songwriter and producer on the song. He also played all the instruments, except for a keyboard part provided by Greg Phillinganes. Wonder wrote “Isn’t She Lovely” to celebrate the birth of his daughter Aisha Morris, and the song includes audio of Wonder bathing her as a toddler in the final section.
