Sufjan Stevens

About

Also known as: Stevens

Sufjan Stevens makes the kind of music that refuses to sit still in one genre. The Detroit born singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist has carved out a singular career by jumping between lo fi folk, lush orchestral pop and full on electronica, often playing most of the instruments himself. His 2005 album Illinois became a landmark record, topping the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and landing at number one on Metacritic's year end rankings, with standout track "Chicago" becoming one of indie folk's most beloved songs. He had announced an ambitious plan to make an album for each of the fifty US states, though that project ultimately gave way to other creative directions. His range is genuinely striking. From the intimate spirituality of Seven Swans to the sprawling electronic textures of The Age of Adz, Stevens keeps finding new shapes for his songwriting. He contributed to the Call Me by Your Name soundtrack, earning both a Grammy nomination and an Academy Award nomination for the song "Mystery of Love". His tenth studio album, Javelin, arrived in October 2023.