Beyoncé delivers moving speech about innovators after being honored by Stevie Wonder
Beyoncé accepted The Innovator Award at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards and shared what the honor meant to her.
Stevie Wonder presented the award to the music superstar on Monday, praising her for her long list of achievements in and out of the music industry before touching on the cultural impact of her latest album, "Cowboy Carter."
"Now Beyoncé is once again changing music and culture, climbing in the saddle as a bona fide country music sensation with her latest masterpiece 'Cowboy Carter,' which may end up being the most talked about album in this century," he shared.
"And when she's not changing music, she's changing the world, fighting the good fight with her BeyGOOD foundation," he added.
The singer then took the stage and hugged Wonder before expressing her gratitude for him. "Thank you so much Stevie, I love you. I love you and I honor you," she said. "I want to thank you for making a way for all of us."
She added, "I'm honored to receive this recognition from you, Stevie Wonder. Whenever anyone asks me if there's anyone I can listen to for the rest of my life, it's always you. So thank you, God bless you."
"I just want to thank you for motivating the world to become a better place," he replied, before Beyoncé thanked him for playing the harmonica on her cover of "Jolene" on "Cowboy Carter."
Beyoncé then spoke more of what being an innovator means to her.
"Innovation starts with a dream," she said. "But then you have to execute that dream, and that road can be very bumpy."
She continued, "Being an innovator is seeing what everyone believes is impossible. Being an innovator often means being criticized, which often will test your mental strength. Being an innovator is leaning on faith and trusting that God will catch you and guide you."
"So, to all the record labels, every radio station, every award show, my hope is that we're more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art with no preconceived notions," she added.
The singer then shared that she was dedicating the award to "all the innovators who have dedicated their lives and their art to creating shifts," and commended them for their "sacrifices," their "powerful voices" and their "dauntless spirits."
She praised innovators who came before her, sharing, "Thank you to Rosetta Tharpe, Miss Tracy Chapman, Linda Martell, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Andre 3000, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and so many more who defied any label placed upon them."
She also thanked her family, including her husband Jay-Z, who she called her "rock" and her "best friend," as well as her three children.
