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Sufjan StevensAmerican musician
Date of Birth: 01.07.1975
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American musician and singer-songwriter who gained fame through his unique musical project called 'The Fifty States Project'. The project aimed to dedicate one album to each of the fifty states in the USA. He began with his home state, releasing the album 'Michigan', followed by 'Illinois' in 2005, which reached the top of the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. The song 'Chicago' from this album became particularly popular. 'Illinois' received rave reviews from publications such as 'Pitchfork Media', 'The Onion A/V Club', 'Spin', 'Billboard', 'Entertainment Weekly', 'Rolling Stone', 'The New York Times', 'KEXP', and 'The Guardian', and earned Stevens numerous professional awards. However, in 2009, an interview with Stevens in 'The Guardian' revealed that 'The Fifty States Project' was a promotional stunt to draw attention to his music. Although he occasionally hinted at continuing the project with new state albums, he had no intention of doing so.
Starting with his 2000 album 'A Sun Came', Stevens released his music on his own label, 'Asthmatic Kitty', which he co-founded with his stepfather. His discography includes eight studio albums, two Christmas-themed compilations, one EP, three singles, ten Christmas albums, and several collaborations with other musicians. Stevens explores various styles in his albums, ranging from light electronic music, noise, and avant-garde to folk recorded in a lo-fi style, and symphonic compositions. He plays different instruments on many of his recordings. Although he has expressed a desire to separate his convictions from his music, Stevens often infuses his songs with religious spirituality, freely drawing from the Bible and other spiritual traditions, consistently incorporating mystical elements into his works.
Early Life and Education
Sufjan Stevens was born on July 1, 1975, in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of nine, when his family moved to Petoskey, Michigan. He attended Petoskey High School, the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy, and eventually graduated from the Christian school Harbor Light Christian School. He then became a student at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and later earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from The New School in New York City.
Name and Musical Talents
The name "Sufjan" is Arabic or Persian, meaning "coming with a sword." It has Islamic origins and was previously associated with figures such as Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, one of the most intriguing characters in early Islamic history. The founder of Subud, an interfaith spiritual movement to which Stevens' parents belonged, bestowed the unusual name upon him when he was born. Stevens is known for his multi-instrumentalism and is proficient in playing the banjo, guitar, piano, drums, and several other instruments. He also incorporates the oboe and English horn, which he learned to play in school, into his compositions.
Current Life and Career
Sufjan Stevens currently resides in Kensington, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, and manages the New York staff of Asthmatic Kitty Records. His brother, Marzuki Stevens, is a well-known marathon runner in the United States. Interestingly, Stevens named his first folk-rock band 'Marzuki' after his brother and also played various instruments in 'Danielson Famile'. In college, Stevens wrote and recorded his first album and then relocated to New York City to work on his second album, 'Enjoy Your Rabbit', which was based on the Chinese zodiac. His most recent studio album to date, 'The Age of Adz', was released in 2010.
