Sufjan Stevens.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
Sufjan Stevensdeclares his new albumJavelinis dedicated to his late partner, seemingly coming out as an LGBTQ+ community member in the process.
On Friday, the singer-songwriter, 48, released his 10th studio album via Asthmatic Kitty Records andshared on social mediathat it’s dedicated to his “beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson,” who died in April of this year.
In a rare public statementposted to Instagramabout his personal life, the beloved indie artist opened up about his loss and relationship, which he called “the light of [his] life.”
The “Mystery of Love” singer shared a sweet photo of Richardson smiling in bed and began his statement in the caption, “JAVELIN is out today. Thank you for listening. I love you.”
“This album is dedicated to the light of my life, my beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson, who passed away in April,” Stevens shared. “He was an absolute gem of a person, full of life, love, laughter, curiosity, integrity, and joy. He was one of those rare and beautiful ones you find only once in a lifetime—precious, impeccable, and absolutely exceptional in every way.”
“Be kind, be strong, be patient, be forgiving, be vigorous, be wise, and be yourself. Live every day as if it is your last, with fullness and grace, with reverence and love, with gratitude and joy,” the Oscar-nominated singer wrote.
Stevens, who has been vocal about his Christian faith and made it the subject of his songwriting throughout his career, concluded his post with a reference to Psalm 118:24. “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it,” he said. “Thank you. I love you. XOS."
Sufjan Stevens in New York City in March 2017.Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
According toPitchfork, Stevens’ late partner Evans Richardson IV died at age 43 in April. He was the Chief of Staff at The Studio Museum in Harlem andalso namedthe Chair of the American Alliance of Museums Accreditation Commission.
In September, the indie folk artist also opened up onsocial mediaabout beingdiagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that led him to be unable to walk and hospitalized.
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“Last month I woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. My hands, arms and legs were numb and tingling and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility,” he wrote in a candid statement at the time. “My brother drove me to the ER and after a series of tests — MRIs, EMGs, cat scans, X-rays, spinal taps (!), echo-cardiograms, etc. — the neurologists diagnosed me with an autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barré Syndrome.”
Since sharing his diagnosis, the Grammy-nominated singer has continued toshareupdateswith his fans about his progress.
Before he updated his fans about his personal life, Stevensannouncedhis latest albumJavelinwas on the way back in August. The new record, which arrived on Friday to acclaim, marked his first, traditional album of original songs since 2020’sAscension.
source: people.com
