Sufjan Stevens has given us another wistful end-of-summer listen. On his latest self-produced single “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”, Stevens channels his vulnerable side to deliver an intimate, existential track.
Stevens also plays every instrument on the track, with adrienne maree brown, Hannah Cohen, and Megan Lui stepping in on ethereal background vocals. This marks Stevens’ second single from the forthcoming Javelin, coming a month after the first, “So You Are Tired.” Javelin is an intimate project from Stevens, amalgamating all of his sonic styles – similarly to how he melds his beloved acoustic mastery with his more recent electronic grandeur on “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”.
The singer-songwriter also dropped off an equally hypnotic music video for the four-minute cut. Directed by Stephen Halker, Stevens’ longtime collaborator, the video smoothly moves through an array of scenic landscapes complemented by trippy graphics and animations.
“This piece serves as an exploration into the intricate landscapes of the human psyche, akin to an open invitation to wander through the vast emotional domains of the mind,” Halker explains in a statement. “It illustrates the journey from surface-level facades to the profound yearnings, vulnerabilities, and fixations that reside within the human heart.”
“Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Javelin – released alongside a 48-page book of art, collages, and essays all by Stevens – hits streaming on October 6.
A handful of independent record stores worldwide will commemorate Javelin‘s release by hosting listening parties – taking place on September 19 outside of North America, and on October 3 throughout North America. For a full list of cities, dates and stores, visit record label Asthmatic Kitty’s website.
In other music news, catch up on last night’s Video Music Award winners.
