Sufjan Stevens reveals the “dark moments” that have inspired his new album, speaking in the latest issue of Uncut, dated April 2015 and out now.
Uncut travels to New York to meet the restlessly creative singer, musician and songwriter in the feature, hearing about the background to his new record, Carrie & Lowell.
“When you’re met with a very tragic event, you have to take stock of what’s real internally and emotionally and allow yourself to express those feelings,” he says.
“Up until the death of my mother, I’d evaded that deepness of feeling in general. But grief is an extremely refining process. I felt I needed to be honest with my feelings for the first time.”
“I found myself kind of feeling like my mother’s ghost was inhabiting me,” he says. “I had a lot of pretty dark moments. Oh god, it’s over, though, I’m so glad it’s over.”
The new issue of Uncut, featuring Joni Mitchell on the cover, is out now.