Stevie Wonder was honored Monday night by some of the biggest names in pop, rock and R&B during a CBS tribute called “Songs in the Key of Life — An All-Star Grammy Salute.”
Everyone from Beyonce to Babyface took the stage to celebrate the influential 64-year-old recording artist, who has 25 Grammys to his name and over 30 top ten hits on the U.S. charts. Many of the stars delivered their own dynamic renditions of Wonder’s most beloved songs.
Here are five of the show’s most magical moments:
1. Beyonce.
The “Flawless” singer delivered a flawless performance, belting out a medley of Stevie Wonder staples to open the tribute show. She started off with a solo rendition of “Fingertips,” one of Wonder’s first big hits, before bringing out acclaimed musicians Ed Sheeran and Gary Clark Jr. to help out on “Master Blaster” and “Higher Ground.”
2.
Before introducing Ne-Yo to perform “Isn’t She Lovely,” rapper and “NCIS: Los Angeles” star LL Cool J took the audience on an unexpected journey.
“At Stevie’s request, we take you into his world,” he said. “To do that we’re asking all of you here to close your eyes for a minute. Close your eyes. For all of you at home you can close your eyes as well now. We’re darkening your screen so you can share Stevie’s inner visions.”
3. Ariana Grande & Babyface go acoustic.
One of pop’s newest princesses teamed up with R&B royalty to deliver a powerful acoustic rendition of Wonder’s 1970 classic, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.”
4.
Recently engaged singer Lady Gaga sat down at a piano to perform a soulful version of “I Wish.” Before beginning her number, she pulled at the heartstrings with an anecdote about how Wonder had inspired her.
5. Pharrell joins forces with OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder.
Pharrell and Tedder entertained the audience with their version of “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” the 1973 single from Wonder’s album “Innervisions.” It’s a song with a very reaffirming message, much like Pharrell’s breakout hit “Happy.”