Oprah Talks to Stevie Wonder

Oprah: Does everything have a sound?

Stevie: Everything has a sound in terms of its placement. In other words, there are many things in this room, and they make up how this room sounds—how dead or alive it is acoustically. If you took this desk out, the audio picture would be different.

Oprah: And you sense that all the time, no matter where you are?

Stevie: Sound is always happening. What's amazing is that I can get in a car, fall asleep, and wake up when I know I'm home. My body is alert, and it has learned a pattern of movements, sounds, and feelings.

Oprah: I love that. Why have we had to wait so long for an album from you?

Stevie: Bach and Chopin took years to write their stuff. I've had to experience some life so that there's more for me to sing about, to express. A lot has happened in ten years. Motown doesn't want to hear that—they're like, "Come on, man"—and I did plan to put out an album five years ago. But I'm glad I didn't, because there's a whole 'nother thing going on now.

Oprah: So we just had to wait.

Stevie: My agreement with Motown is that I don't get paid unless I deliver, so it's on me. I don't feel pressure. I love to go on the road, performing and singing. And I'm always writing, working on new stuff.

Oprah: There's always a song inside you.

Stevie: Yes. But it has taken me ten years to feel there's enough of this and that. You're the first person I'll tell the title of the album. It's called A Time to Love. We've had all sorts of time to talk about the war, but when will there be a time to love? It's now.

Oprah: What's your vision for this album?

Stevie: I hope people will say, "We've got to make a difference. We've got to have more respect for one another. We've got to find a better way of expressing ourselves without belittling each other. We've got to remember that the way we came to this planet was through love." I'm hoping people will understand that we cannot be a United States until we are a united people.