The Heartbreaking Story Behind Sufjan Stevens' Fourth of July

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This video is sponsored by Skillshare
Written, voiced and edited by Frank Furtado
Additional Music by Matthew McClelland

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If you were to ask a fan what their favorite Sufjan Stevens album is, you’re likely to get a different answer from each one you speak to. The singer-songwriter has released more than a handful of career-defining albums -- each housing its own individual brand of folk music: Like the soft acoustics of Seven Swans. Or the lush multi-instrumentals of Illinois. And the unexpected, electronic punch delivered by The Age of Adz. But it’s his 2015 album, Carrie & Lowell, that might wind up defining Sufjan’s career.

Shortly after the release of The Age of Adz, Sufjan’s mother passed away. His relationship with her had always been a complicated one. His earlier music defined her as an unfit parent. Regardless of your history, when your mother dies, it tends to be a devastating loss. Her passing sent Sufjan on a trajectory towards processing grief: searching for the significance in the end of life while also honouring the universal experience that is death. By virtue of his powerful songwriting, Carrie & Lowell is the artist’s most emotionally impactful body of work. It’s how Sufjan Stevens deciphers death.