Macy Gray Re-Records Stevie Wonder's Full Talking Book Album

R&B singer Macy Gray is calling her latest studio album a “love letter to Stevie Wonder.” 

While most artists are known for remaking one or two songs, Gray took on the task of remaking Stevie Wonder’s entire 15th album, Talking Book. The 10-track classic includes some of Wonder’s biggest hits:  “Superstition,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “I Believe.” 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gray said the idea for the album-length cover came from producer Hal Wilner. 

“We were talking about ideas for cover songs and [Wilner] goes, ‘You know what you should do is a whole album. Everyone remakes movies, but no one remakes albums,’” Gray said. “I thought that was a wild idea so I was like, ‘Yes!’ I picked Talking Book because that’s one of my favorite records and I know it inside out.”

The album, which was released on October 30, also marks the 40th anniversary of Wonder’s original, which Gray calls just “the craziest coincidence.” 

Gray admits she still doesn’t know how the legendary R&B musician will feel about the album. “I’m scared to ask him,” she said. “I was just really nervous [about] if he was going to like it or not.” 

According to reports, a rep from Macy Gray’s camp has reached out to Wonder but is still waiting for a reply.