Sufjan Stevens’ new album ‘Javelin’ (out today via Asthmatic Kitty) has been widely described as a break-up record due to its themes of heartbreak and suffering. On Friday morning, the subject matter became much clearer when Stevens penned and uploaded a dedication for the album to his late “beloved” partner Evan Richardson, who passed away in April.
“This album is dedicated to the light of my life, my beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson,” Stevens wrote alongside a picture of a smiling Richardson. “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 people you find only once in a lifetime – precious, impeccable and absolutely exceptional in every way”.
Stevens has kept his private life offline for most of his long career, never fully addressing issues of his personal life or sexuality. He only does so to allow the public to share in his artistic choices, as he does with this dedication.
“I know relationships can be very difficult at times, but it’s always worth the hard work and care for the ones you love, especially the beautiful ones, which are few and far between,” he continues in the post. “If you happen to find that kind of love, hold on to it, cherish it, cherish it, cherish it and give it everything you’ve got, especially in times of need.”
Earlier this year, Stevens also revealed his diagnosis of Guillain-Barré, a neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. In a lengthy post on Tumblr, his social media platform of choice, Stevens explained that he was out of the promotional cycle for “Javelin” because he was in hospital undergoing “intense” physical therapy to regain control of his body.
On 5 October, Stevens announced in another Tumblr post that he was leaving the hospital and would “continue to work at home and in outpatient therapy”. “Thank you for following my hospital blog. And thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. Pray for peace in the world. Be well. Be safe. Be yourself.”
