Sufjan Stevens shares news of his partner's death, dedicates new album Javelin to him
While Stevens' music is often heartbreaking, the singer has historically revealed very little of his personal life to fans
Sufjan Stevens has had a rough go of it recently. The often-heartbreaking songwriter has a new, gorgeous album out today called Javelin, wherein he explores themes of love, death, and yes, heartbreak. In an extremely rare glimpse into his personal life, however, the Oscar and Grammy-nominated artist revealed today that the context behind this particular record is even heavier than previously thought.
“This album is dedicated to the light of my life, my beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson, who passed away in April,” he wrote in a tribute on Tumblr and Instagram. “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.”
Richardson, who served as chief of staff at the Studio Museum In Harlem and chair of the American Alliance of Museums’ Accreditation Commission, was a “visionary leader in the museum world,” according to an industry tribute. Frequent Stevens-collaborator Nico Muhly also posted his own tribute to Richardson in May, writing “There are no words to express adequately the depth of our loss and our gratitude for his life.”