Sufjan Stevens

Known as one of the American voices at the forefront of an ultra-sensitive style of nu folk, the music of Sufjan Stevens has actually encompassed a lot of different styles from electronica to art rock to symphonic arrangements. Originally from Detroit, Sufjan (the name is of ancient Persian origin) grew up playing banjo, guitar, oboe and drums and started his career with folk-rock band Marzuki in Holland, Michigan. He was still at school when he recorded his first solo album, A Sun Came in 2000, on which he played a wide range of instruments and mixed pop with various world music styles - including Celtic, Moroccan and Indian. On moving to New York, he wrote and recorded his second electronica-influenced album Enjoy Your Rabbit, a song cycle based on the animals in the Chinese zodiac. His 2003 album Michigan was another thematic project inspired by his home state, an idea he continued two years later with Illinois; his spirituality and sense of ambition winning him many admirers. In 2007, an even grander project followed - a symphonic, cinematic suite called The BQE - inspired by New York's Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which developed into a huge live show with a full backing orchestra and dancers. His biggest commercial success, however, came with The Age Of Adz album in 2010, which he recorded after suffering a painful debilitating illness affecting the nervous system. Merging folk with hip-hop and disco music, it reached Number 7 in the US album charts.