Sufjan Stevens announces his new album Spear he is dedicated to his late partner, while seemingly revealing himself as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
On Friday, the singer-songwriter, 48, released his 10th studio album via Asthmatic Kitty Records and shared on social media that it was dedicated to his “beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson”, who died in April this year.
In a rare public statement posted on Instagram about his personal life, the beloved indie artist opened up about his loss and a relationship he called “the light [his] life.”
The “Mystery of Love” singer shared a sweet photo of Richardson smiling in bed and began his statement with the caption, “JAVELIN is out today. Thanks for listening. I love you.”
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“This album is dedicated to the light of my life, my beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson, who passed away in April,” Stevens said. “He was an absolute gem of a person, full of life, love, laughter, curiosity, integrity and joy. It was one of those rare and beautiful things that you only find once in a lifetime – precious, flawless and absolutely exceptional in every way.
The Carrie & Lowell the artist went on to talk about what he learned from their relationship about nurturing loved ones. He wrote: “I know relationships can be very difficult at times, but it’s always worth putting in the hard work and caring for the ones you love, especially the beautiful ones, which are few and far between. If you happen to find such love, hold it close, hold it tight, enjoy it, cherish it and give it all you have, especially in times of trouble.”
“Be kind, be strong, be patient, be forgiving, be energetic, be wise and be yourself. Live every day as if it were your last, with fullness and grace, with respect and love, with gratitude and joy,” wrote the Oscar-nominated singer.
Stevens, who has been vocal about his Christian faith and has made it a subject of his songwriting throughout his career, concluded his post with a reference to Psalm 118:24. “This is the day that the Lord created. Let us rejoice and be glad in it,” he said. “Thank you. I love you. XOS.”
Sufjan Stevens in New York in March 2017.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
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According to Pitchfork, Stevens’ late partner Evans Richardson IV died at age 43 in April. He was chief of staff at the Studio Museum in Harlem, and was appointed chairman of the Commission on Accreditation of the American Association of Museums.
Steven has kept his personal life mostly private since breaking out with his 2005 album Illinoishowever, according to Pitchfork, Richardson joined him at the 2018 Oscars, where he performed his Oscar-nominated song “Mystery of Love” from the film Call me by your name.
In September, the indie folk artist also opened up on social media about being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that left him unable to walk and hospitalized.
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“Last month I woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. My arms, hands and legs were numb and tingled and I had no strength, feeling, mobility,” he wrote at the time in an honest statement. “My brother took me to the emergency room and after a series of tests — MRI, EMG, cat scan, X-rays, spinal tap (!), echocardiogram, etc. — neurologists diagnosed me with an autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome.”
“It’s a slow process, but they say I will “recover”, it just takes a lot of time, patience and hard work,” he added. “I’m committed to my recovery, I’m in good spirits and I’m surrounded by a really great team. I want to be good!”
Since sharing his diagnosis, the Grammy-nominated singer has continued to share updates on his progress with his fans.
Before updating his fans on his personal life, Stevens announced his latest album Spear he was on his way back in August. The new record, which arrived on Friday to celebrate, marked his first, traditional album of original songs since 2020. Ascension.
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Source: HIS Education