June marks national Pride month, and to commemorate it, Michigan-born indie singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens has released a pair of love songs to benefit homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
A follow-up to his 2017 Grammy and Academy Award-nominated “Mystery of Love” from the Call Me by Your Name soundtrack, “Love Yourself” and “With My Whole Heart” are the latest additions to Stevens' shimmering — and inclusive — folk-pop repertoire.
According to a statement on Stevens' new Pride-themed site, “Love Yourself” is the result of reworking a four-song, 1996 demo while his brand-new track, “With My Whole Heart,” is described as having been a “personal challenge” for the Illinois singer as he wanted to “write an upbeat and sincere love song without conflict, anxiety, or self-deprecation.”
The project is currently streaming across all platforms and will be released as a limited-edition 7” vinyl later next month. In addition to the songs, Stevens is also offering a limited-run rainbow Pride T-shirt which is available here.
A portion of the Pride project proceeds will benefit Detroit's Ruth Ellis Center as well as the Ali Forney Center in Harlem, New York — both of which offer support, resources, and housing for at-risk and homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
Listen to Stevens' latest tracks below.
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