# Sufjan Stevens

> American singer and musician (born 1975)

**Wikidata**: [Q319502](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q319502)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufjan_Stevens)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sufjan-stevens

## Summary
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and record producer born on July 1, 1975. He is known for his genre-spanning work across indie folk, baroque pop, chamber pop, and electronic music, and has been active in his professional career since 1995. He is affiliated with the independent record label Asthmatic Kitty.

## Biography
- Born: July 1, 1975 (United States)
- Nationality: American (United States)
- Education: Hope College (liberal arts college in Michigan); The New School (private university in New York)
- Known for: Singer-songwriting, multi-instrumental performance, and genre-blending composition
- Record Label: Asthmatic Kitty (American independent record label, founded 1999)
- Field(s): Indie folk, alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop, baroque pop, chamber pop, folk-pop, lo-fi music, classical music, electronic music
- Work Period Start: 1995

## Contributions
Sufjan Stevens has built a career as a prolific independent musician and composer beginning around 1995. He has contributed to the music world as a singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist performing on oboe, banjo, guitar, piano, and saxophone. His body of work spans a wide array of genres including indie folk, alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop, baroque pop, chamber pop, folk-pop, lo-fi, classical, and electronic music. He is affiliated with Asthmatic Kitty, an American independent record label established in 1999.

## FAQs
**What instruments does Sufjan Stevens play?**
Sufjan Stevens is recognized as an oboist, banjoist, guitarist, pianist, and saxophonist, making him a highly versatile multi-instrumentalist.

**What genres of music is Sufjan Stevens associated with?**
His musical output traverses indie folk, alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop, baroque pop, chamber pop, folk-pop, lo-fi music, classical music, and electronic music.

**What record label is Sufjan Stevens affiliated with?**
He is associated with Asthmatic Kitty, an American independent record label that was founded in 1999.

**Where did Sufjan Stevens receive his education?**
He attended Hope College, a liberal arts college in Michigan, and The New School, a private university in New York.

**What awards has Sufjan Stevens received?**
He is a recipient of the PLUG Independent Music Awards.

## Why They Matter
Sufjan Stevens holds significance as a distinctive and influential figure in independent music, recognized for his ambitious genre-spanning approach that weaves together folk traditions with baroque orchestration, lo-fi aesthetics, and electronic experimentation. His versatility as a multi-instrumentalist—encompassing banjo, guitar, piano, oboe, and saxophone—distinguishes him within the indie music landscape. His long-standing association with Asthmatic Kitty Records and a career launching in the mid-1990s have cemented his role as a consistent creative force in indie folk and alternative rock circles.

## Notable For
- PLUG Independent Music Awards recipient
- Multi-instrumentalist: oboist, banjoist, guitarist, pianist, saxophonist
- Singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer
- Career spanning indie folk, baroque pop, chamber pop, lo-fi, and electronic music
- Affiliated with Asthmatic Kitty Records (independent label, est. 1999)
- Active professional career since 1995
- Official website: https://www.sufjan.com/
- Wikipedia presence across 39 language editions

## Body

### Background and Education
Sufjan Stevens was born on July 1, 1975, in the United States. He stands approximately 1.76 meters tall. His educational background includes attendance at Hope College, a liberal arts college in Michigan established in 1862, and The New School, a private university in New York founded in 1919.

### Musical Career
Stevens launched his professional music career around 1995. He operates across multiple roles within the industry: singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and performing musician. He is affiliated with Asthmatic Kitty, an American independent record label established in 1999.

### Instruments and Skills
Stevens is recognized for proficiency across a diverse range of instruments. He is credited as an oboist, banjoist, guitarist, pianist, and saxophonist, contributing to his reputation as a versatile multi-instrumentalist.

### Genres
His musical catalog traverses a remarkably broad spectrum of genres: indie folk, alternative rock, indie rock, indie pop, baroque pop, chamber pop, folk-pop, lo-fi music, classical music, and electronic music.

### Awards and Recognition
Stevens has been honored with the PLUG Independent Music Awards, an American music award recognizing independent artists.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
Stevens maintains an official website at https://www.sufjan.com/. He has an extensive digital footprint across numerous platforms and databases, including identifiers for Spotify, MusicBrainz, Discogs, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, and many others. His Wikipedia entry is available across 39 language editions.

## References

1. Library of Congress Authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. datos.bne.es
4. [Hope College](https://hope.edu/news/1998/04/23/students-receive-awards-for-academic-achievement.html)
5. [Hope College. 2006](https://magazine.hope.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2006-NfHC-April.pdf?#page=18)
6. [The New School](https://www.newschool.edu/writing/outcomes/)
7. [Magnet](https://magnetmagazine.com/2005/11/15/sufjan-stevens-the-state-i-am-in/)
8. [Instagram. 2023](https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEELYnOOg0/)
9. [Exclaim!. 2023](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/sufjan_stevens_dedicates_new_album_javelin_to_late_partner_evans_richardson)
10. [Stereogum. 2023](https://www.stereogum.com/2238313/sufjan-stevens-dedicates-javelin-to-late-partner-evans-richardson/news/)
11. [them. 2023](https://www.them.us/story/sufjan-stevens-evans-richardson-album-dedication)
12. [Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/features/interview/9595-true-myth-a-conversation-with-sufjan-stevens/)
13. [The Quietus](https://thequietus.com/articles/05085-the-age-of-adz-sufjan-stevens-interview)
14. [The New York Times Magazine. 2004](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/12/magazine/the-singersongwriter.html)
15. [The A.V. Club](https://www.avclub.com/sufjan-stevens-1798208555)
16. International Standard Name Identifier
17. MusicBrainz
18. Virtual International Authority File
19. [Sufjan Stevens Dedicates New Album, Javelin, to Late Partner Evans Richardson IV. 2023](https://pitchfork.com/news/sufjan-stevens-dedicates-new-album-javelin-to-late-partner-evans-richardson-iv/)
20. [Vanity Fair](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/09/sufjan-stevens-the-ascension-interview)
21. [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/09/sufjan-stevens-ascension-bossy-and-bitchy/616366/)
22. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
23. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2018)
24. CONOR.SI
25. BBC Things
26. [Source](https://www.wealthypersons.com/sufjan-stevens/)
27. Google Knowledge Graph
28. Discogs
29. The Guardian
30. Quora
31. Genius
32. YouTube API
33. [Regional Database of the Central Bohemian Research Library in Kladno](https://ipac.svkkl.cz/arl-kl/cs/detail-kl_us_auth-0382210-Stevens-Sufjan-1975)
34. The Movie Database