While singer Sufjan Stevens has never publicly come out, his music has often been fallen under the LGBTQ umbrella.
Just last year, he nabbed an Oscar nomination for songs he contributed to the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack.
Now, the 43-year-old singer has announced the release of a new EP for Pride month, along with a limited edition Pride shirt he designed himself.
“In celebration of Pride Month, Sufjan Stevens is releasing two new songs on the topic of love: ’Love Yourself’ and ’With My Whole Heart,’ available on limited-edition 7” vinyl in late June and on all digital platforms May 29, 2019,” Stevens announced on his new “Love Yourself” website.
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The description continues: “‘Love Yourself’ is based on a sketch Sufjan wrote 20 years ago. The original 4-track demo he recorded in 1996 is included as well as a short instrumental reprise. ‘With My Whole Heart’ is a completely new song that Sufjan wrote as a personal challenge to ’write an upbeat and sincere love song without conflict, anxiety, or self-deprecation.’”
In addition to the new limited-edition vinyl, Stevens has also designed a limited edition Pride t-shirt.
The shirts are selling for $45 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Ali Forney Center in New York and the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit, Michigan, two organizations that offer assistance to homeless queer youth.
Only 800 of the t-shirts are being printed, so get those orders in quick!
The whole thing has people wondering: Is this Stephens’ way of coming out? Or is he just really proud to be an ally?
Whatever the case, we want one of those t-shirts.
whateverokok
Like anybody on here knows who he is or cares.
ShiningSex
Sadly true. Most on here have horrible tastes in music.
caliboy17
Funny, I always thought that we {gay men} were the most tuned-in, turned-on, woke, culturally aware, taste-filled creatures on the planet. [Horrible taste? Only at Chick-Fil-A!]
Rock-N-RollHS
Oh, honey, many of us know who this EMO dude is. Boring. Heard one or two songs, you’ve heard them all. But always had a big crush on him. I hope he’s straight. Don’t want any boy getting him if I can’t. Ha!
OzJosh
Even if the story is about The Pope, the US president or Tom Cruise, there’s still some moron who’ll say “nobody knows them” and “nobody cares” – demonstrating nothing other than that they are out of touch. Stevens is an academy award nominated songwriter. It’s safe to assume many of us know who he is.
ShiningSex
The younger generation of gays think Rhianna, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Britney, Beyonce, Katy are where it’s at??? That’s the joke. A bad joke.
I’m not that old, but I remember going to gay bars where bands like Soft Cell, Coil, Throbbing Gristle, SPK, Bauhaus were played. That’s where it’s at.
Matt1961
I know who he is and I care,
Apollux
Always thought that “the owl and the tanager” was his coming-out-and-heartbroken declaration.
Darsithis
He could just be an ally. Not everyone who supports LGBT is LGBT.
TheBigOne
Makes for a better headline than “Did he just come out as an ally?” lol.
Brian
It’s Graham. If there is any way to shoehorn a straight guy goes gay narrative into a story, he’s gonna do it.
I don’t know much about this guy, but he strikes me as the type who would have come out long ago. He’s clearly not trying to be a major pop star, so what would be the point of staying closeted?
MISTERJETT
that’s true!! just because you want someone to be gay doesn’t mean they are gay.
Donston
Brian, just because someone appears to not have interests in popular success doesn’t really mean that they feel comfortable with and confident in sharing their private lives or comfortable being publicly direct as far as their sense of self, preferences, dating life, etc. go. I’ve been aware of him for a decade. I can’t say I’m a fan, but I do appreciate some of his stuff. Don’t see any point of looking too much into his intentions with his music.
Brian
Someone who is not comfortable with being open about their sexuality is not going to start selling gay pride t-shirts and music. Who knows, maybe being coy about his sexuality is a marketing angle.
Donston
There have been quite a few examples of people who persistently indulge “support” but took a while to be publicly comfortable and completely honest.
ShiningSex
Either way, it’s great to see. At least his music is decent compared to the crap most queens like. True.
LARRY
OMG we fags are so vicious! and we agree not a clue who this person is nor really care at this point. If he came out good for him, still in the closet…good for him, straight ally good for him! LMAO
TheDefiler
We don’t agree. And even you probably don’t agree. If you saw Armie & Timothee, you know who this guy is.
Gary Q VV
This is my first known time to listen to Sufjan’s music – it isn’t my favorite, but it’s actually better than other so-called music. To the point of if he’s trying to say he want to come out, only he can answer that in a more definitive way. Since all comments here are of the writer’s opinion… he’s struggling to grasp onto any method to say, ” Here I am, a Queer!”.
gjg64
I always thought he was gay and didn’t think he was not out.
shakes_head
He’s been making award winning queer-themed indie music for 20 years, and was just nominated for a songwriting Oscar for an academy award winning gay-themed movie. Some of y’all queens need to broaden your horizons a bit…
baal61
Who?
am
Who cares? It’s really time to stop to make huge deals of real and (mostly) imaginary coming outs.
sfmike64
I’m sure he’s a lovely person, but he’s always struck me as music to fall asleep to. His voice makes me sleepy.
But if he’s coming out, good for him. I honestly just wish people would say “Hey I’m coming out,” instead of being all coy about it. It’s tedious.
Donston
Well, much of the “younger generation” seem to be more about not pushing “labels”. Also, if you’re not looking to get much media attention then a more coy and slowly rendered “coming out” is probably the best approach. I understand people not wanting to put all their business out there or not wanting to adhere to an identity. And I support the idea that being “out” should be more about freedom, self-expression and loving/being with who you want to love and be with rather than identity or spectacle. On a different token, the coyness often leads to people being confused about your intentions and what you’re actually trying to get across, which some of these public figures like. They prefer being “enigmas” or to “keep people guessing”. The coyness can also sometimes read like internalized homophobia or gay shame or trying to shield having overall same-sex preferences and ambitions. It’s a double-edged sword approach.
jonasalden
I love his voice. Don’t much care about his personal life. There are so many out people now, the LGBT community is not thirsty for examples or icons. Yet another ally is always useful, though.
Donston
Eh, I’d say that closet cases and gay shame are still fairly prominent in the entertainment industry, especially once we venture into the world of sports. There are many “out people” now primarily because social media has made everyone a “star” in their own right. “Allies” are cool and all. But it seems some people give out more props for being “allies” than they give out props to people willing to be genuinely honest about themselves, their struggles and what they want. Ultimately, Sufjan doesn’t risk anything for being an “ally”.
Brian
Curious, if he actually is straight, at what point does a straight person doing stuff like this cross the line into cultural appropriation? Should straight people really be waving rainbow flags and doing the type of stuff that previously was gay people’s way of telling the world that they are gay and not ashamed of it?
Donston
This is one of the issues I have with the “ally movement”. Supporting people is one thing. But constantly telling their stories and almost using them for self-promotion and to make your own self feel good is another. I have grown a bit weary of straight/heterosexual/overtly hetero-leaning people hopping on the “queer bandwagon” because it’s a good look and to indulge their own narcissism. It’s already getting to the point of people looking up to “gay allies” more than they do overtly gay/homosexual/homo-leaning/homoromantic people. I guess being an “ally” will always be more cool and more safe than actually being gay and/or expressing unabashed same-sex passions, preferences, affections and romantic ambitions. I’m not saying that Sufjan represents this. But I have noticed this trend.
Brian
If social media didn’t exist, I have a feeling the number of straight people overrunning pride festivals would be significantly smaller than it’s become. Honestly, I think it’s more about showing the world what a Good Person they are. If their being an ally was anonymous beyond the people it affected directly, I think a very large percentage of them wouldn’t bother, they would just wish us no ill will and get on with their lives.
mgconlan
I’m a child of the 1960’s and I’m right at home with the sound of this record. Sufjan Stevens is not one of my all-time favorites but what I’ve heard of his music I’ve liked. I listen to just about everything from classical, opera and jazz (traditional and modern) to the 1960’s rock of my boyhood and much of what’s come afterwards. (Actually I like just about any music except hip-hop, and that mainly because most rap seems grounded in hatred, greed and the glorification of crime.) If I had any advice for the other people on this site about music, it would be to keep your ears open and not lock yourself into just one or two genres. The best CD I’ve bought recently by a current artist (yes, I still buy CD’s) is the awesome, intensely emotional “there is no Other” by Rhiannon Giddens.
BigJohnSF
Sufjan is deeply into Jesus, which may or may not indicate if he is gay or not. I would not expect him to be an ally, either.
GourmetGuy
I’ve loved Sufjan Stevens’s music for years. I have excellent gaydar (I was a professional homosexual–editor of *the* gay literary magazine), and he certainly “pings” for me. We will one day live in a world where sexual preferences don’t matter a whit. But we’re not there yet. Movies like “Call Me By Your Name” are helping us along, and SS’s music was an integral part of that film.
nitejonboy
I adore his song ” Chicago “, but much of his other music I can take or leave, I agree with the other person who says his music puts them to sleep…his music is kind of low and dreamy…kind of a male Norah ( or snore-ah ) Jones. But his lyrics are beautiful and I loved the music he made for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. Even if he isn’t gay, he’s a good ally and that’s all that counts.