U2’s frontman is turning his life story into a moving one-man show — and soon everyone will get to see it. Bono is giving fans an intimate look at his journey in the upcoming Apple TV+ special Bono: Stories of Surrender, and the first official trailer promises a heartfelt, soul-baring experience. The two-minute preview dropped this week, and it’s full of music, memoir, and raw emotion, all delivered by Bono himself in his signature storytelling style.
The trailer opens in dramatic black-and-white with Bono on a sparse stage, setting the tone in a voiceover: “These are tall tales of a short rock star,” he says wryly. What unfolds is a montage of the Irish singer in an intimate theater setting — in fact, the show was recorded at New York’s Beacon Theatre during Bono’s book tour for his memoir Surrender. In the clip, we see Bono crooning stripped-down renditions of U2 classics and reflecting on the people and moments that shaped him.
Longtime U2 fans will get chills hearing snippets of songs like “City of Blinding Lights,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and “Beautiful Day” woven into the narrative. At one point, Bono, 63, is shown on stage gently singing while accompanying himself on guitar, the crowd quietly absorbing every note. This isn’t a stadium spectacle but something much more personal. In between songs, Bono shares anecdotes — some humorous, many deeply poignant. “Turns out the most extraordinary thing about my life is the people I’m in relationships with,” he remarks in one scene, as images of his loved ones flash by. “I met my wife Ali the same week I joined U2,” he adds, highlighting two lifelong partnerships that began almost simultaneously over four decades ago.
The emotional core of the special seems to be Bono coming to terms with his past and the idea of surrendering, a theme from his memoir. In the trailer he speaks about his late mother and his often complicated relationship with his father, topics he’s rarely touched on in U2’s bombastic concerts but addresses candidly here. We hear him recount the last time he saw his mother, and it’s clear those memories still affect him deeply. The trailer culminates in a powerful closing line from Bono: “I was born with my fists up. Surrender does not come easy to me,” he admits in a reflective tone. After a beat, he adds, “This is my story. I’m stuck with it.” It’s a striking confession from a man who’s spent a career projecting confidence and fight — here we see him embracing vulnerability instead.
Visually, Stories of Surrender is presented as “the story of a showman in his own words,” and the trailer’s stylish monochrome footage underscores that this is Bono unfiltered. We see him sitting alone in a backstage hallway, presumably musing before walking on stage, and later taking a humble bow to a standing ovation from an audience hanging on his every word. The whole thing feels like part concert, part theatrical monologue, and part therapy session — and early viewers say to have tissues handy. The project was developed with director Willie Williams (a longtime U2 creative collaborator) and is a reimagining of the stage show Bono toured in support of his memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. That show was very limited, with Bono performing in smaller venues and interweaving U2 songs with stories from the book. Now, thanks to Apple, a global audience will get to experience it.
The special is set to premiere May 30 on Apple TV+. Notably, Apple is going all-out: Stories of Surrender will also be the first feature-length film available in the new Apple Vision Pro format, offering an “immersive” version for those early adopters of Apple’s headset. But even on a regular screen, fans will be drawn in by the rare chance to see Bono in such an unguarded, reflective mood.
In recent interviews, the rock legend has said that writing his memoir and performing this show has been a transformative experience. It forced him to, as the title suggests, surrender – to his memories, to uncomfortable truths, and to the idea that vulnerability can be as powerful as swagger. Judging by the trailer’s warm, engaging vibe, viewers can expect laughter, some tears, and of course incredible music spanning U2’s catalog (with Bono giving many songs a new acoustic or spoken-word twist). It’s the Bono we know — the activist, the romantic, the showman — but laid bare and telling “tall tales” with honesty and self-deprecation. For U2 devotees and casual music fans alike, Stories of Surrender looks to be an inspiring ride through the ups and downs of an extraordinary life, told by the man himself with open heart and open hands.
