In 2014 25-time GRAMMY winner Stevie Wonder came face to face with a longtime fan during the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony in Washington, D.C.: President (and fellow GRAMMY winner) Barack Obama. In his presentation speech before a crowd of world dignitaries, the commander in chief intimated that Wonder's classic 1972 album Talking Book was the very first LP he purchased with his own money.

"Thanks to Stevie, all of us have been moved to higher ground," said Obama.

Obama's words powerfully illustrated Wonder's tremendous influence and reach. Over the course of an innovative career spanning more than 50 years, Wonder's songs and performances have boldly crossed racial and geopolitical lines. Taking the notion of musician-as-activist to stratospheric new levels, Wonder's artistry has personally touched numerous influential world leaders, from the late Nelson Mandela to the family of Martin Luther King Jr., for whom Wonder was instrumental in the push to declare his birthday a national holiday. In 2009 the United Nations even designated Wonder as a U.N. Messenger of Peace.

To date, Wonder has earned 25 GRAMMYs, making him one of the most honored artists in GRAMMY history. In addition, he has six recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the distinction of being one of 25 artists designated as the MusiCares Person of the Year in recognition of his musical and humanitarian efforts.

On Feb. 16 The Academy, AEG Ehrlich Ventures and CBS will honor him with "Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life — An All-Star GRAMMY Salute." The two-hour special will pay tribute to Wonder's prolific career with performances by Babyface, Beyoncé, Gary Clark Jr., Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Ed Sheeran, and Pharrell Williams, among others.

Following is a snapshot of Wonder's impressive GRAMMY legacy to date, including historical context around some of his GRAMMY-celebrated recordings. The list is all the more impressive considering it represents only a smattering of the artist's tremendous musical output.

View a complete list of Stevie Wonder's GRAMMY wins

1966:
"Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Male, Nominations: 9th GRAMMY Awards

After impacting the Billboard R&B and pop charts in 1963 with his largely instrumental hit "Fingertips — Part 2" — the first live single in history to reach No. 1 — Wonder struggled to chart a similarly successful follow-up. Then, during a 1965 brainstorming session, the singer and his mentor Clarence Paul honed in on a single refrain from a tune Wonder was working on: "Everything's alright, uptight." Recognizing the hit potential of that distinctive lyric, Paul teamed Wonder with songwriter Sylvia Moy and Motown staff arranger/producer Henry Cosby. The result was the volcanic "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," featuring Wonder's exuberant and much-matured vocals. The single topped the R&B charts for five weeks, hitting No. 3 in early 1966, and earned Wonder his first two career GRAMMY nominations.

1968:
"For Once In My Life"
Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Male, Nomination: 11th GRAMMY Awards

This single gave the stunning indication of Wonder's astounding musical breadth. Written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden, "For Once In My Life" began its storied life in 1967 as a Top 10 adult contemporary hit for Tony Bennett. Wonder and producer Henry Cosby borrowed the tune, imbuing it with a high-kicking vitality that made Wonder's interpretation a stand-out version, landing at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B and pop charts. The track earned Wonder a nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, Male, and a later recording with Bennett won the 2006 GRAMMY for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. Wonder's solo version was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2009.

1973:
"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life," Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male; "Superstition," Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, Best Rhythm & Blues Song: 16th GRAMMY Awards

In the early '70s Wonder began a metamorphosis, capturing critical accolades for his innovative  Music Of My Mind album. As a follow-up, Wonder created an LP so highly actualized that radio programmers and record buyers simply couldn't deny it. Talking Book opens with the breezy "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (along with "Superstition"), then proceeds to delineate the complexities of romantic love on tracks such as "You've Got It Bad Girl," "Blame It On The Sun" and "Lookin' For Another Pure Love." The album spawned three GRAMMYs, including Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for "You Are The Sunshine …," which also earned Record and Song Of The Year nods, and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "Superstition." Both songs, and the album, were inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

Innervisions
Album Of The Year: 16th GRAMMY Awards

Where Talking Book witnessed the emergence of a budding musical activist, Innervisions saw Wonder plunging headlong into social issues. Broadening his musical palette to include funk and soul/jazz, Wonder scored hit singles with "Living For The City" and "Higher Ground," while jazz-influenced tracks such as "Too High" and "He's Misstra Know It All" found the singer examining the vagaries of drug addiction and Watergate-era politics. In his Rolling Stone review of Innervisions, famed rock critic Jon Landau presciently wrote: "There is something complete about Stevie Wonder, and one senses that he is not only exceptionally important today, but will continue to be for as long as he chooses." Innvervisions earned Wonder his first Album Of The Year GRAMMY and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 1999. "Living For The City" won Best Rhythm & Blues Song honors for 1974 at the 17th GRAMMY Awards.

1974:
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Album Of The Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male: 19th GRAMMY Awards

By the mid-'70s, Wonder was cranking out complex, remarkably realized albums with astonishing speed. His 1974 masterwork, Fulfillingness' First Finale, was somewhat less indignant than its predecessor, Innervisions, but no less hard-hitting. The single "Boogie On Reggae Woman" ranks as one of the most innovative synth-funk shuffles in history, featuring burbling keyboard flourishes that more than 40 years later have yet to be equaled. Wonder notched his fourth No. 1 hit with "You Haven't Done Nothin'," in which the singer excoriates Watergate-era politicians. The album features contributions from a talented roster, including the Jackson 5, Minnie Riperton, Deniece Williams, and Paul Anka, and earned Wonder his second GRAMMY for Album Of The Year. "Boogie On Reggae Woman" took the GRAMMY for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.

1976:
Songs In The Key Of Life
Album Of The Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male: 19th GRAMMY Awards

With his confidence overflowing, Wonder's assuredness is evident on this two-disc collection (which included a four-song EP, to boot). Songs In The Key Of Life spawned a pair of blithe funk hits in the forms of "Sir Duke" (Wonder's tribute to jazz lion Duke Ellington) and the GRAMMY-winning "I Wish" (cheery childhood memories set to a slippery funk beat). The singer's spiritual side is evident on tracks such as "Love's In Need Of Love Today" and "Have A Talk With God," while Afrocentric tunes such as "Black Man," "Village Ghetto Land" and "Pastime Paradise" served to reassure his black fan base that crossover fame had not blunted his socio-cultural edge. The album earned Wonder his third Album Of The Year GRAMMY win in four consecutive years (a mark that has not been matched), garnered Wonder his first and only Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical award to date, and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2002. In 2005 the Library of Congress added Songs In The Key Of Life to its National Recording Registry.

1982:
"Ebony And Ivory"
Record Of The Year, Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, Nominations: 25th GRAMMY Awards

In the early '80s, Wonder received word that Beatles legend Paul McCartney had composed a duet tune with him in mind. Thus, plans for the recording of "Ebony And Ivory" were set in motion. Helmed by revered Beatles producer George Martin and included on McCartney's Tug Of War album, the No. 1 hit showcases Macca and Wonder contemplating why the world can't be more like a piano, where black and white keys co-exist in "perfect harmony."

1986:
"That's What Friends Are For"
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal: 29th GRAMMY Awards

Initially recorded by Rod Stewart for the motion picture soundtrack for Night Shift, this ballad, co-written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, resurfaced when the songwriting duo was compiling material for a 1985 Dionne Warwick album. During recording, Bacharach decided to expand the single's blockbuster appeal by inviting more superstar vocalists to perform. Warwick suggested Elton John and Motown legend Gladys Knight, and thus the single we know today was born. The gold-certified single crowned both the pop and R&B charts in 1986 and was also nominated for Record Of The Year. The smash was friendly to a good cause, raising more than $3 million for the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

1998:
"St. Louis Blues"
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s): 41st GRAMMY Awards

Featuring one of Wonder's most exhilarating performances, "St. Louis Blues" is culled from Herbie Hancock's 1998 album Gershwin's World — a curious title, seeing as "St. Louis Blues" was composed not by Gershwin, but blues legend W.C. Handy. Hancock's version features Wonder contributing soulful, elastic vocals and foamy harmonica flourishes, counterpointing Hancock's funky piano improvisations.

2005:
"So Amazing" Featuring Beyoncé
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: 48th GRAMMY Awards

Luther Vandross was a massive Wonder fan, a fact evidenced by his interpretations of compositions such as "Creepin'," "Knocks Me Off My Feet" and "Until You Come Back To Me." (Vandross even contributed background vocals on Wonder's 1985 smash single, "Part-Time Lover.") Considering his obvious love and admiration for Wonder, it's unfortunate that Vandross didn't live to hear his gospel-tinged torch song, "So Amazing," interpreted as a duet by Wonder and Beyoncé. The track is featured on the 2005 album So Amazing: An All Star Tribute To Luther Vandross, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

(Bruce Britt is an award-winning journalist and essayist whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, Billboard, and other publications. He lives in Los Angeles.)

A capacity crowd filled the Martha's Vineyard Performing Arts Center for a screening of Luther: Never Too Much, a new documentary chronicling the life and career of soul and R&B icon Luther Vandross. The event, held last week at the 2024 Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival and presented by the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and Cîroc Limonata, was a celebration of Vandross' legacy in music and culture as well as the Academy's impact in underrepresented communities across the music industry.  

Award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter, who directed the film, kicked off the screening with a heartfelt memory: "When I first came here in 1998, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that a film that is so special to me, I would be able to share with you on this island that I love." 

She also gave the audience, which included former Chair and CEO of BET Networks Debra Lee and Universal Music Group executive Jeff Harleston, permission to release. "You are free to sing, dance, and we will be back for you after this," she said. 

Not skipping a beat, Luther takes things all the way back to the beginning. It details Vandross' early influences including the Supremes, the Temptations and the Sweet Inspirations, as well as Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, the latter of whom both became collaborators. As Vandross' many hits — "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," "Bad Boy/Having A Party," "Stop To Love," "Til My Baby Comes Home," title track "Never Too Much," and more — weaved in and out of the comprehensive doc, the audience moved and grooved.  

Vandross' decades-long career unfolds in full scope across Luther, highlighting his own group, Shades of Jade; the musical ensemble Listen My Brother, a one-time Apollo Theater fixture that also appeared in early "Sesame Street" episodes; his work on David Bowie's legendary Young Americans album, which boosted Vandross' solo career; his many jingles; his days as a backup singer for Bette Midler and Roberta Flack; and much more. The film's use of amazing archival footage tracing these eras wowed the audience. 

In addition to penning his own hits like "Give Me the Reason" and other classics, such as "Everybody Rejoice/A Brand New Day" from the Broadway musical "The Wiz" and Aretha Franklin's Jump To It, Vandross was a vocal perfectionist and a showman, which Porter reflects in the film through rehearsal footage and sketches of the costumes he designed for his tours. Luther producer and fan Jamie Foxx even offers his own testimony to the vital assist Vandross gave his early romantic life. 

Porter does not shy away from Vandross' dark points in Luther. At the height of his fame, for example, he was involved in a car accident that killed a friend. Insightful interviews with lifelong friends and music peers dating back to high school, including folks like Carlos Alomar, Fonzi Thornton, Robin Clark, Valerie Simpson, Dionne Warwick, Mariah Carey, Nile Rodgers, his niece Seveda Williams, and longtime assistant Max Szadek uncover Luther Vandross, the person. Some of the most heartbreaking personal revelations revolve around his weight and the emotional toll that media scrutiny took on him as well as persistent rumors about his sexuality, which his closest friends continue to guard, even in death. 

Patti LaBelle, to the dismay of Vandross' friend and writing partner Richard Marx, who considers such acts a betrayal, did speak publicly on the topic via a clip. Vandross' inability to find love, as detailed in "Any Love," a song he once described to Oprah as his most autobiographical track, is most heartbreaking. 

In a Q&A panel following the film, Porter shared how she pulled off such a wonderful tribute to Vandross in Luther. 

"What really works for this movie is having all that music," she said. "I watched this movie like a fan. I want to hear those songs. I want to sing those songs. So having the ability to let them play out, having the archive, having the estate images and rehearsal footage" was invaluable, she stressed. "When you have all those elements, you feel like you can do justice to a story. And if anybody deserves justice to his story being done, it's this man." 

The panel — which also featured guest Ryan Butler, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Recording Academy, and author, professor and radio host Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey as moderator — also highlighted the notable steps and initiatives the Academy has launched to advance a diverse, inclusive music community. 

"[Around the] last GRAMMYs, we launched Academy Proud, which is what we call a membership resource group for LGBTQ artists, creators, [and] professionals, so that they also have a safe space," Butler, who is openly gay, reflected. "I think that a lot of times, the Academy felt unapproachable. It felt like it was the castle on top of the hill behind the gate. So I think what I really do, as the leader of our diversity efforts, is come out of the castle and go into the communities where people are."  

Porter regretted that Vandross, whose health challenges as a diabetic and stroke survivor contributed to his early death in 2005 at the young age of 54, never got to experience today's industry. "Don't we all wish Luther lived now?" she lamented to the audience. 

Vandross' fight to cross over and expand his audience features prominently in the film. He achieved some of that goal with his very personal, chart-topping single "Dance with My Father," which he penned with Marx; the song won the GRAMMY for Song Of The Year at the 2004 GRAMMY Awards while he was recovering from a stroke he suffered in 2003. (Earlier, the crowd gasped upon learning that Vandross won his first GRAMMY after nine previous nominations.) 

"In 2020, a group of us at the Recording Academy got together [and] we created the Black Music Collective, which is really about honoring and celebrating the contributions of Black creatives," Butler said in response. 

"As soon as I saw the film," he continued, "I thought, 'What if the Black Music Collective existed when Luther was here? Would he have been nominated nine times before he won? Or would he have enough Black voters in the [Recording Academy voting] membership?' When I arrived at the GRAMMYs, Black representation in voting membership was around 9%, which was indexing lower than U.S. census data. We set an aggressive goal of 33% and we're [now] at 22%," he announced to applause.  

Porter closed out the panel by announcing that Luther: Never Too Much would hit select theaters in October before its official premiere in 2025 on CNN, OWN and Max. 

Attendees at the Luther: Never Too Much private reception | Photo: Corey Fletcher 

Elsewhere throughout the festival, the Recording Academy's DEI team participated in multiple panels and events, including the DEI is Alive panel, which discussed the impact and importance of DEI work in the entertainment industry; a screening of and conversation about Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It, a new documentary celebrating GRAMMY-winning R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel legend Billy Preston, which Butler moderated; and a welcome and toast celebration for Oscar nominee Colman Domingo. 

Diageo, who partnered with the Recording Academy's DEI team to produce the Luther: Never Too Much screening, conversation and private reception, has supported the Black Music Collective and the Academy's DEI initiatives on an ongoing basis. 

Learn more about the Recording Academy's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, recent DEI achievements, and year-round work to support artists, creators and music professionals of all backgrounds. 

Before Afrobeats icons Burna Boy, WizKid, and Tyla became globally recognized household names, Yemi Alade was the continent’s biggest pop star. On July 26, she will release her sixth studio album, Rebel Queen, which expands her repertoire with a world of adventurous pop sounds.  

The Nigerian singer/songwriter burst onto the African pop music scene in 2014 with "Johnny," a now-classic tune that gained acclaim by its iconic video featuring a TV news reporter tracking the titular womanizer. The video made her the first Nigerian female artist to hit 100 million views on YouTube.  

Since then, Alade has had an illustrious career, collaborating with artists including Rick Ross, earning another 100 million-view video for "Oh My Gosh," and featuring alongside fellow Africans Mr. Eazi and Tekno on the Beyoncé-curated soundtrack for The Lion King.

Her latest album, Rebel Queen, includes high-profile collaborations with Angélique Kidjo, Ziggy Marley, and dancehall star Konshens. The album promises a genre-jumping journey across the globe, incorporating amapiano ("Soweto to Ibiza"), highlife ("Chairman"), and even reggae ("Peace and Love") and dancehall ("Bop’).

Ahead of Rebel Queen’s release, GRAMMY.com caught up with Alade about her progression as an artist, what it was like to work with Beyoncé and her team, and bridging international success.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Your new album, 'Rebel Queen', contains influences from all over Africa and beyond. Was that intentional?

Yes, you're correct that I wanted to make sure that the album had sounds that I actually genuinely love, from the amapiano influence to dancehall. And also, I personally wanted to go back to the foundation of Afrobeats, which are sounds and genres that I listened to growing up as a kid. When my parents took me to family parties, there were certain melodies and guitar strums that I fell in love with. And I wanted to revisit those nostalgic moments and put it all in this album.

There are a lot of high-profile collaborations on this record, such as Anjélique Kidjo and Ziggy Marley. How did you decide who to work with on 'Rebel Queen'?

Honestly my life is a roller coaster, same for every touring artist. We try to gather as much as we can while being in motion. Anjélique Kidjo is like my music mum, I love her. And when I made the record, "African Woman," who else would I feature on such a song if not Anjélique? And as for Ziggy, he and I have a song that we did previously ("Look Who’s Dancing Now"), which was his song, and he featured me. And I wanted a tit-for-tat moment. So I sent the song to him. I felt like, who else but him? Every feature was necessary to complete the melody for each song, they are such a huge part of each one, not just in the fresh vibe that they bring. 

Learn more: Watch Yemi Alade's Enchanting Performance Of "Tomorrow" | Global Spin

It’s been ten years since you broke out with the massive hit "Johnny." Back then, African pop music was relatively unknown in America. Since then, African artists have gained global recognition. Do you see yourself as a pioneer for the current Afropop movement?

I agree with you 100 percent, there is no way you authentically go through the history of, you know, building a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world via music without mentioning a song like "Johnny." It's definitely an honor for me to be the vessel that delivers such amazing music to the world. Of course, there were people way before me who also did the same thing. We're talking about Fela [Kuti]. We're talking about King Sunny Ade. At the end of the day, yes, music is metamorphosing into so much more. And definitely, I'm a pioneer [laughs].

You have a strong sense of storytelling, especially in your music videos. "Johnny" has an entire storyline about a news reporter investigating a womanizer. How important is that kind of storytelling to your music?

Storytelling is a big part of my artistry, because I feel everybody loves a good story. I find that even when I'm writing most times in the studio, there's always a picture I'm trying to paint, and it only makes sense for the visuals to kind of match that most of the time. Except sometimes we decide to make it a performance video because I just feel like dancing.

What’s the most memorable video you’ve ever done?

Every one of my videos has taken a lot of pain, sweat, and even some tears. But I think "Johnny" is such a masterpiece, because it resonated with the entire world, and Africa especially. And it pretty much helped me to stay on my way through the industry, because it became my identity. That song and that video was the platform for the brand and everything that I am today. you know, so that is definitely the most memorable, in a good way.

You've traveled to and performed in America several times in your career. What's your overall impression?

I think I've done four or five American tours. And yo, America is so big [laughs]. My first American tour had me in shambles, because of the flights. I didn't realize that to go from one city to another, I might have to connect once or twice depending on how far I'm going. So the flights had me in shambles, but the energy of the people? Oh my days, lit! America is definitely one of my favorite places. I’m always reminding my agents to make sure that they include American cities on my tours, which is why even for the album listening parties for Rebel Queen, we did the first one in Paris, then London, and then we had to come to New York as well. And then just yesterday, we had one in Lagos as well.  

Since you first became popular, a lot of Afrobeats artists have gained a following abroad like Burna Boy and WizKid. It seems as though, at least looking at the artists that break outside of Africa, that the genre is still very male-dominated. Do you agree with that? And do you think there’s potential for more female artists to break out internationally?

Honestly, when I started out, the odds were really way more against women than they are right now, in that, there were female artists sprouting maybe once every two years, or once every year, and barely hanging around long enough. But now, the story is different. And I give kudos to all the women before me and all the women with me. Yes, in a male dominated society, it seems as though my male counterparts get their roses and their flowers for a second. And you know, once in a while someone comes back and remembers, "Oh, there's Yemi Alade." Do you know what I mean? 

I was speaking to someone earlier today and I was saying, I think what surprises me the most is that, I feel like there are no expectations of female artists. So like, if we do or we don't, people are just moving on. But I'm not the one to play victim, never. Despite the odds, you see that the females continue to be resilient, because we know. I know deep within that my existence is definitely of value to so many people out there.

What do you think of the upcoming generation of talent like Tems and Ayra Starr and Tyla, who recently won the first GRAMMY Award for Best African Music Performance for "Water?"

Exceptional, exceptional artists. As you just mentioned, they're doing amazingly well. And, you know, these women are unique in their own ways. And I want to just say that I believe it's just the starting point for them. There's so much to come. And there's so many other females that are still en route to greatness.

How have you seen the music industry in Africa evolve? And what sorts of challenges do you think African musicians face today?

I personally feel like, with all the momentum that Afrobeats has got, we need authentic platforms that can actually check the streaming numbers that are coming in for music, especially within Africa. Because at the moment it’s mostly Apple, Spotify, etc. But there are other platforms here in Africa that most Africans use, and they have more of a database compared to Apple and Spotify. We've come to a point where we need to have more credible numbers, because there's millions of people streaming music in Africa that are not on those platforms.

So you think that these local platforms need to be counted alongside Apple and Spotify?

100 percent. In Nigeria there’s two: Audiomack and Boomplay. Boomplay is a big deal.

You’re going on a decade in the industry. In all that time, what's one moment or one achievement that gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment? What are you most proud of in your career?

That’s a big question…I think I have an idea, because there've been so many moments in my life and in my career that have aligned with my dreams coming true. Number one is each time that I'm approached by a complete stranger and the stranger tells me "Oh my God, Yemi. You don't know what your music has done for me. Your music has gotten me through so much grief." Some people walk up to me and tell me that they just had the biggest struggle in their life and they listen to my music, and it always sends them into a realm of joy and happiness. Honestly, I feel accomplished in those moments, because when I record my music, I always say, the thing I'm trying to spread through my music the most is love, joy and happiness. So to have people testify to that, it means to me that the magic is complete, that my job is actually effective. So that makes me feel very accomplished. 

On a personal note, an accomplishment that I am most grateful to is the fact that I'm always able to comfortably take care of my family. It's something that I would never play down. You know, I'm just grateful to God for that. 

And lastly, aside from winning a GRAMMY through Angelique Kidjo — you know, I've met a lot of amazing people, and Beyoncé is one of them. So at the end of the day, it's a full circle moment for me. I'm just enjoying the ride.

You know, it’s funny you mentioned Beyoncé, I was just about to ask you what it was like to work with her. 

Oh my days — wow, working with her, it was such an experience for myself and my team. It was like, we're literally awake, walking in the dreams that we have dreamt for so long.The process of her team contacting us was a bit weird, because my management didn't realize that Parkwood [Entertainment] was a real company, that they were emailing them and talking about Beyoncé. They assumed that it was some kind of scam artist. But when they had sent it to me, I was like "What? Parkwood? Who doesn’t know Parkwood is Beyoncé?" 

So it turned out that it was for real, and we went to L.A. where the studio was, and I lost my voice for 24 hours — I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t sing. I just soaked up all the vitamin C's and hot teas and Throat Coats I could get. I managed to regain a little bit of my voice back and that's what I was able to record that day. That was a miracle for me. But one of the most memorable moments was actually meeting her in person. After the album, Lion King, came out, the movie was being premiered in London, and I happened to be in London at that time. We had met her in person, we met Jay Z. It was such a full circle moment. Honestly, that lady has really touched my life in a way that I will never forget. Because she could have lived her life without doing what she did, but she decided to reach out to people she felt were pillars of African music and pay homage to Africa. And I'm happy to have been part of that moment.

Three months after OneRepublic began promoting their sixth album, Artificial Paradise, in February 2022, the band unexpectedly had their biggest release in nearly a decade. The pop-rock band's carefree jam, "I Ain't Worried," soundtracked Top Gun: Maverick's most memeable scene and quickly became a global smash — ultimately delaying album plans in favor of promoting their latest hit.

Two years later, "I Ain't Worried" is one of 16 tracks on Artificial Paradise, which arrived July 12. It's a seamless blend of songs that will resonate with longtime and newer fans alike. From the layered production of "Hurt," to the feel-good vibes of "Serotonin," to the evocative lyrics of "Last Holiday," Artificial Paradise shows that OneRepublic's sound is as dialed-in as it is ever-evolving.

The album also marks the end of an era for OneRepublic, as it's the last in their contract with Interscope Records. But for the group's singer, Ryan Tedder, that means the future is even more exciting than it's been in their entire 15-year career.

"I've never been more motivated to write the best material of my life than this very moment," he asserts. "I'm taking it as a challenge. We've had a lot of fun, and a lot of uplifting records for the last seven or eight years, but I also want to tap back into some deeper material with the band."

As he's been prepping Artificial Paradise with his OneRepublic cohorts, Tedder has also been as busy as he's ever been working with other artists. His career as a songwriter/producer took off almost simultaneously with OneRepublic's 2007 breakthrough, "Apologize" (his first major behind-the-board hit was Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love"); to this day he's one of the go-to guys for pop's biggest names, from BLACKPINK to Tate McRae.

Tedder sat down with GRAMMY.com to share some of his most prominent memories of OneRepublic's biggest songs, as well as some of the hits he's written with Beyoncé, Adele, Taylor Swift and more.

I was producing and writing other songs for different artists on Epic and Atlantic — I was just cutting my teeth as a songwriter in L.A. This is like 2004. I was at my lowest mentally and financially. I was completely broke. Creditors chasing me, literally dodging the taxman and getting my car repoed, everything.

I had that song in my back pocket for four years. A buddy of mine just reminded me last month, a songwriter from Nashville — Ashley Gorley, actually. We had a session last month, me, him and Amy Allen, and he brought it up. He was like, "Is it true, the story about 'Apologize'? You were completely broke living in L.A. and Epic Records offered you like 100 grand or something just for the right to record the song on one of their artists?"

And that is true. It was, like, 20 [grand], then 50, then 100. And I was salivating. I was, like, I need this money so bad. And I give so many songs to other people, but with that song, I drew a line in the sand and said, "No one will sing this song but me. I will die with this song." 

It was my story, and I just didn't want anyone else to sing it. It was really that simple. It was a song about my past relationships, it was deeply personal. And it was also the song that — I spent two years trying to figure out what my sound was gonna be. I was a solo artist… and I wasn't landing on anything compelling. Then I landed on "Apologize" and a couple of other songs, and I was like, These songs make me think of a band, not solo artist material. So it was the song that led me to the sound of OneRepublic, and it also led me to the idea that I should start a band and not be a solo artist.

We do it every night. I'll never not do it. I've never gotten sick of it once. Every night that we do it, whether I'm in Houston or Hong Kong, I look out at the crowd and look at the band, and I'm like, Wow. This is the song that got us here.

We were halfway through promoting Dreaming Out Loud, our first album. I played basketball every day on tour, and I snapped my Achilles. The tour got canceled. The doctor told me not to even write. And I had this one sliver of an afternoon where my wife had to run an errand. And because I'm sadistic and crazy, I texted [songwriter] Evan Bogart, "I got a three-hour window, race over here. Beyoncé called me and asked me to write her a song. I want to do it with you." He had just come off his huge Rihanna No. 1, and we had an Ashley Tisdale single together.

When you write enough songs, not every day do the clouds part and God looks down on you and goes, "Here." But that's what happened on that day. I turn on the keyboard, the first sound that I play is the opening sound of the song. Sounds like angels singing. And we wrote the song pretty quick, as I recall. 

I didn't get a response [from Beyoncé after sending "Halo" over], which I've now learned is very, very typical of her. I did Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé "II MOST WANTED" [from COWBOY CARTER] — I didn't know that was coming out 'til five days before it came out. And when I did "XO" [from 2013's Beyoncé], I found out that "XO" was coming out 12 hours before it came out. That's how she operates.

["Good Life"] was kind of a Hail Mary. We already knew that "All the Right Moves" would be the first single [from Waking Up]. We knew that "Secrets" was the second single. And in the 11th hour, our engineer at the time — who I ended up signing as a songwriter, Noel Zancanella — had this drum loop that he had made, and he played it for Brent [Kutzle] in our band. Brent said, "You gotta hear this drum loop that Noel made. It's incredible."

He played it for me the next morning, and I was like, "Yo throw some chords to this. I'm writing to this today." They threw some chords down, and the first thing out of my mouth was, [sings] "Oh, this has gotta be the good life." 

It's the perfect example of, oftentimes, the chord I've tried to strike with this band with some of our bigger records, [which] is happy sad. Where you feel nostalgic and kind of melancholic, but at the same time, euphoric. That's what those chords and that melody did for me.

I was like, "Hey guys, would it be weird if I made the hook a whistle?" And everyone was like, "No! Do not whistle!" They're like, "Name the last hit song that had a whistle." And the only one I could think of was, like, Scorpion from like, 1988. [Laughs.] So I thought, To hell with it, man, it's been long enough, who cares? Let's try it. And the whistle kind of made the record. It became such a signature thing.

Adele — "Rumour Has It," '21' (2011)

"Rumour Has It" was the first song I did in probably a four year period, with any artist, that wasn't a ballad. All any artist ever wanted me to write with them or for them, was ballads, because of "Halo," and "Apologize" and "Bleeding Love."

I begged [Adele] to do a [song with] tempo, because we did "Turning Tables," another ballad. She was in a feisty mood [that day], so I was like, "Okay, we're doing a tempo today!"

Rick Rubin was originally producing the whole album. I was determined to produce Adele, not just write — because I wanted a shot to show her that I could, and to show myself. I stayed later after she left, and I remember thinking, What can I do in this record in this song that could be so difficult to reproduce that it might land me the gig?

So I intentionally muted the click track, changed the tempo, and [created that] whole piano bridge. I was making it up as I went. When she got in that morning. I said, "I have a crazy idea for a bridge. It's a movie." She listens and she says, "This is really different, I like this! How do we write to this?" 

I mean, it was very difficult. [But] we finished the song. She recorded the entire song that day. She recorded the whole song in one take. I've never seen anyone do that in my life — before or since.

Then I didn't hear from her for six months. Because I handed over the files, and Rick Rubin's doing it, so I don't need to check on it. I randomly check on the status of the song — and at this point, if you're a songwriter or producer, you're assuming that they're not keeping the songs. Her manager emails my manager, "Hey, good news — she's keeping both songs they did, and she wants Ryan to finish 'Rumour Has It' production and mix it." 

When I finally asked her, months later — probably at the GRAMMYs — I said, "Why didn't [Rick] do it?" She said, "Oh he did. It's that damn bridge! Nobody could figure out what the hell you were doing…It was so problematic that we just gave up on it."

I was in a Beyoncé camp in the Hamptons writing for the self-titled album. [There were] a bunch of people in the house — me, Greg Kurstin, Sia — it was a fun group of people. I had four days there, and every morning I'd get up an hour and a half before I had to leave, make a coffee, and start prepping for the day. On the third day, I got up, I'm in the basement of this house at like 7 in the morning, and I'm coming up with ideas. I stumble across that chord progression, the guitar and the melody. It was instant shivers up my spine. 

"Lately I've been losing sleep, dreaming about the things that we could be" is the only line that I had. [My] first thought was, I should play this for Beyoncé, and then I'm listening to it and going, This is not Beyoncé, not even remotely. It'd be a waste. So I tabled it, and I texted the guys in my band, "Hey, I think I have a potentially really big record. I'm going to finish it when I get back to Denver."

I got back the next week, started recording it, did four or five versions of the chorus, bouncing all the versions off my wife, and then eventually landed it. And when I played it for the band, they were like, "This is our favorite song."

It was my second session with Taylor. The first one was [1989's] "I Know Places," and she sent me a voice memo. I was looking for a house in Venice [California], because we were spending so much time in L.A. So that whole memory is attached to me migrating back to Los Angeles. 

But I knew what she was talking about, because I lived in New York, and I remember the feeling — endless possibilities, all the different people and races and sexes and loves. That was her New York chapter. She was so excited to be there. If you never lived there, and especially if you get there and you've got a little money in the pocket, it is so exhilarating.

It was me just kind of witnessing her brilliant, fast-paced, lyrical wizardry. [Co-producer] Max [Martin] and I had a conversation nine months later at the GRAMMYs, when we had literally just won for 1989. He kind of laughed, he pointed to all the other producers on the album, and he's like, "If she had, like, three more hours in the day, she would just figure out what we do and she would do it. And she wouldn't need any of us." 

And I still think that's true. Some people are just forces of nature in and among themselves, and she's one of them. She just blew me away. She's the most talented top liner I've ever been in a room with, bar none. If you're talking lyric and melody, I've never been in a room with anyone faster, more adept, knows more what they want to say, focused, efficient, and just talented.

I had gone through a pretty dry spell mentally, emotionally. I had just burned it at both ends and tapped out, call it end of 2016. So, really, all of 2017 for me was a blur and a wash. I did a bunch of sessions in the first three months of the year, and then I just couldn't get a song out. I kept having, song after song, artists telling me it's the first single, [then] the song was not even on the album. I had never experienced that in my career.

I went six to nine months without finishing a song, which for me is unheard of. Andrew Watt kind of roped me back into working with him. We did "Easier" for 5 Seconds of Summer, and we did some Sam Smith and some Miley Cyrus, and right in that same window, I did this song "Sucker." Two [or] three months later, Wendy Goldstein from Republic [Records] heard the record, I had sent it to her. She'd said, very quietly, "We're relaunching the Jonas Brothers. They want you to be involved in a major way. Do you have anything?" 

She calls me, she goes, "Ryan, do not play this for anybody else. This is their comeback single. It's a No. 1 record. Watch what we're gonna do." And she delivered.

My memory is, being in lockdown in COVID, and just being like, Who knows when this is going to end, working out of my Airstream at my house. I had done a lot of songs for movies over the years, and [for] that particular [song] Randy Spendlove, who runs [music at] Paramount, called me.

I end up Zooming with Tom Cruise [and Top Gun: Maverick director] Jerry Bruckheimer — everybody's in lockdown during post-production. The overarching memory was, Holy cow, I'm doing the scene, I'm doing the song for Top Gun. I can't believe this is happening. But the only way I knew how to approach it, rather than to, like, overreact and s— the bed, was, It's just another day.

I do prescription songs for movies, TV, film all the time. I love a brief. It's so antithetical to most writers. I'm either uncontrollably lazy or the most productive person you've ever met. And the dividing line between the two is, if I'm chasing some directive, some motivation, some endpoint, then I can be wildly productive.

I just thought, I'm going to do the absolute best thing I can do for this scene and serve the film. OneRepublic being the performing artist was not on the menu in my mind. I just told them, "I think you need a cool indie band sounding, like, breakbeat." I used adjectives to describe what I heard when I saw the scene, and Tom got really ramped and excited. 

You could argue [it's the biggest song] since the band started. The thing about it is, it's kind of become one of those every summer [hits]. And when it blew up, that's what Tom said. He said, "Mark my words, dude. You're gonna have a hit with this every summer for, like, the next 20 years or more." 

And that's what happened. The moment Memorial Day happened, "I Ain't Worried" got defrosted and marched itself back into the top 100.

Tate McRae — "Greedy," 'THINK LATER' (2023)

We had "10:35" [with Tiësto] the previous year that had been, like, a No. 1 in the UK and across Europe and Australia. So we were coming off the back of that, and the one thing she was clear about was, "That is not the direction of what I want to do."

If my memory serves me correct, "greedy" was the next to last session we had. Everything we had done up to that point was kind of dark, midtempo, emotional. So "greedy" was the weirdo outlier. I kept pushing her to do a dance record. I was like, "Tate, there's a lot of people that have great voices, and there's a lot of people who can write, but none of those people are professional dancers like you are. Your secret weapon is the thing you're not using. In this game and this career, you've got to use every asset that you have and exploit it."

There was a lot of cajoling. On that day, we did it, and I thought it was badass, and loved it. And she was like, "Ugh, what do we just do? What is this?"

So then it was just, like, months, months and months of me constantly bringing that song back up, and playing it for her, and annoying the s— out of her. And she came around on it. 

She has very specific taste. So much of the music with Tate, it really is her steering. I'll do what I think is like a finished version of a song, and then she will push everyone for weeks, if not months, to extract every ounce of everything out of them, to push the song harder, further, edgier — 19 versions of a song, until finally she goes, "Okay, this is the one." She's a perfectionist.

I love [our latest single] "Hurt," but my favorite song on the album is called "Last Holiday." I probably started the beginning of that lyric, I'm not joking, seven, eight years ago. But I didn't finish it 'til this past year.

The verses are little maxims and words of advice that I've been given throughout the years. It's almost cynical in a way, the song. When I wrote the chorus, I was definitely in kind of a down place. So the opening line is, "So I don't believe in the stars anymore/ They never gave me what I wished for." And it's, obviously, a very not-so-slight reference to "Counting Stars." But it's also hopeful — "We've got some problems, okay, but this isn't our last holiday." 

It's very simple sentiments. Press pause. Take some moments. Find God before it all ends. All these things with this big, soaring chorus. Musically and emotionally and sonically, that song — and "Hurt," for sure — but "Last Holiday" is extremely us-sounding. 

The biggest enemy that we've had over the course of 18 years, I'll be the first to volunteer, is, this ever-evolving, undulating sound. No one's gonna accuse me of making these super complex concept albums, because that's just not how my brain's wired. I grew up listening to the radio. I didn't grow up hanging out in the Bowery in CBGBs listening to Nick Cave. So for us, the downside to that, and for me doing all these songs for all these other people, is the constant push and pull of "What is their sound? What genre is it?" 

I couldn't put a pin in exactly what the sound is, but what I would say is, if you look at the last 18 years, a song like "Last Holiday" really encompasses, sonically, what this band is about. It's very moving, and emotional, and dynamic. It takes me to a place — that's the best way for me to put it. And hopefully the listener finds the same.

In 1997, all-female R&B groups were thriving: TLC already had seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, En Vogue had numerous platinum singles, and Xscape reached No. 1 more than once. Soon, a quartet of teenagers would burst upon the scene and leave an indelible impact.

While Destiny’s Child are now canonical in the world of '90s and early aughts R&B, the group initially experienced spotty success. Their 1997 debut single, "No, No, No (Part 2)" peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was certified platinum. Yet their eponymous album, released in February 1998, only hit No. 67. Their follow up single, "With Me," also failed to set the charts ablaze. 

Destiny’s Child's underwhelming chart performances could’ve easily derailed the budding group. Fortunately, the four ambitious girls from Texas had other plans. 

Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and Le Toya Luckett were determined not to become one hit wonders, and quickly went back into the studio to record their sophomore album. Released on July 14, 1999, The Writing’s On the Wall became Destiny’s Child’s highest selling album and spawned some of their most iconic songs — one of which led to the group's first GRAMMY win. Not only did the album establish Destiny's Child as a household name, but it fine tuned the R&B girl group concept to perfection.

"We had no idea that The Writing's on the Wall would be as big a record as it was. Especially worldwide," Beyoncé said in a 2006 Guardian interview.

In celebration of the iconic album's 25th anniversary, read on for five reasons why The Writing’s On the Wall is the defining album of Destiny’s Child’s career.

Its Members Took Creative Control

On their debut album, Destiny’s Child tapped into the neo soul trend popularized by the likes of D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Maxwell — artists in their early-to-mid twenties with a maturity the teen quartet didn’t yet have. The references and creative direction clashed with the reality of the group members being so young.

"It was a neo-soul record and we were 15 years old. It was way too mature for us," Beyoncé tol the Guardian.

Heading back into the studio, the girls made sure to eradicate any misalignments and put more of themselves into their sophomore album. In an interview with MTV, the members said The Writing’s On the Wall had a fresher, more youthful vibe because "it comes from us." The quartet's fingerprints are all over the 16 track album: Each member co-wrote at least 50 percent of the album. 

"Even at the time, Beyoncé would produce a lot of their background vocals, and she was a leader even at a young age," Xscape's Kandi Burruss said in a Vice interview, reflecting on her work as a songwriter and producer on The Writing's On the Wall. This heightened presence enabled the group to develop lyrics that boldly reflected their opinions and youthful energy. In turn, The Writing's On the Wall netted a run of iconic hit singles.

Read more: Destiny's Child's Debut Album At 25: How A Neo-Soul Album From Teens Spawned R&B Legends

It Pushed R&B Forward 

Like its predecessor, The Writing’s On the Wall is very much an R&B album. However, Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles — who still managed the group at the time — brought in producers who weren’t afraid to experiment. The result was a more commercial album that fused classic R&B with pop influences, creating a sound that was simultaneously contemporary and timeless.

Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Burrus (who would go on to co-write and produce TLC’s "No Scrubs") contributed to five of the album's tracks, shaping its overall sound and differentiating it from Destiny’s Child. The duo kept a few elements from the group’s debut effort, including the sing-rapping heard on "Bug A Boo" and "Hey Ladies." With syncopated beats, thumping basslines, and their knack for writing catchy hooks, Briggs and Burrus created R&B records with the perfect blend of chart-friendly accessibility.

On the Missy Elliott produced "Confessions," synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic garbling were layered to create a lush, futuristic backdrop. Further subverting the classic R&B ballad, Elliott paired what sounds like a cabasa to match Beyonce’s cadence throughout the verses which gives her laidback vocals an almost robotic feel. In addition to producing, Elliott’s velvety vocals also appear quite prominently on the chorus, adding to the track’s sonic tapestry.

GRAMMY-winner Rodney Jerkins was tapped to produce "Say My Name." The original beat Jerkins used was two-step garage, a subgenre of UK garage. No one else liked the sound, so he completely revamped the track into the GRAMMY-winning anthem we know today. Jerkins melded funk-inspired guitar and a call and response approach, then modernized them with a shimmery, polished production. This helped "Say My Name" become the group’s most listened to song on Spotify with over 840 million streams. Jerkins has even gone on record to say this is his favorite song he’s produced to date.

Read more: "Say My Name" 20 Years Later: Why The Destiny's Child Staple Is Still On Everyone's Lips

Its Music Videos Praised Black Culture

"For me, it is about amplifying the beauty in all of us," Beyoncé said in a 2019 interview with Elle when asked about the importance of representation. Even before her solo work, the importance of spotlighting Black culture was evident in Destiny's Child's music videos.

In "Bills, Bills, Bills," we see the group play the role of hair stylists in a salon which is an obvious nod to Beyoncé's mother’s longstanding relationship with all things hair. Near the end of "Bug a Boo," the members change into their version of majorette costumes and dance in front of a marching band. Majorettes and marching bands have a vibrant legacy within HBCUs; almost 20 years after this video premiered, Beyoncé revisited this very concept for her 2018 Coachella performance. 

It Delivered Mainstream Success 

The Writing’s On the Wall was a hit across the charts. The group earned their first No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 with "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name." Promotions for the latter also reinvigorated album sales and helped shift another 157,000 copies (an impressive 15 percent increase from their first-week sales). The fourth and final single, "Jumpin’, Jumpin’" was released during the summer of 2000 and became one of the most played songs on the radio that year.

Songs from the album were nominated at both the 42nd and 43rd GRAMMY Awards. Destiny’s Child took home their first golden gramophone at the 2001 GRAMMYs, winning Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Say My Name." The single also won Best R&B Song and  was nominated for Record Of The Year. 

With 14 nominations, Destiny’s Child remain the most nominated girl group in GRAMMY history. With worldwide sales of 13 million, The Writing’s On the Wall is also the fourth best-selling girl group album of all time.

It Expanded The Concept Of "Girl Power"

The Writing’s On the Wall was much more than catchy, radio-friendly tunes. Lyrically and in production, the album reintroduced Destiny’s Child as the architects for their own lives. The tongue-in-cheek Godfather-inspired intro tees up each song with a commandment for their partners and, at times, for themselves.

Often misconstrued as a gold digger anthem,"Bills, Bills, Bills" empowers a woman to confront a lover who's financially taking advantage of her. This is a far cry from the theme of a young woman focused on finding love — a common theme on Destiny's Child —  and puts their confidence on full display. "So Good" is a sassy, uplifting anthem which explicitly addresses haters with pointed lyrics like "For all the people ‘round us that have been negative/Look at us now/See how we live." Destiny's Child was sending a clear message: they’re going to be fine regardless of what others say. 

And when the group became tabloid fodder due to unexpected lineup changes, "So Good" took on a new meaning for persevering through hard times. While there are some songs with morally questionable lyrics — we’re looking at you ‘"Confessions" — the consistent message of embracing one’s self-worth and independence is clear.