Sufjan Stevens, 40, is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter who has utilized his musical talents to produce several cross-genre albums. As an artist, I find him compelling for the talent this endeavor demonstrates; Stevens' mastery of musical sound, coupled with his understanding of the sounds and desires within each genre, create dynamic and intriguing records. Further, all the sounds on Steven's records are ones he personally made: he utilizes "multitrack recording", in which uses one instrument to make a sound, and then puts it on a loop to keep it in the song while he plays another instrument.
This man is a musical and lyrical genius.
Sites About Stevens:
http://altmusic.about.com/od/artists/a/sufjanstevens.htm
This website covers Stevens' basic biography, from his introduction to music to the release of his latest album. It is a great sight for general "get to know you" information.
http://sufjan.com/
This website is Stevens' "Home" website, with links to the record label he created with his stepfather, Asthmatic Kitty. This website contains personal interviews with Stevens, as well as videos of his music and tour dates.
http://www.npr.org/artists/15121560/sufjan-stevens
NPR's artist page on Sufjan Stevens. This page covers old interviews, opinions on his latest pieces, and recordings. Some of the interviews on this page cover the stories behind his songs, what inspired them, and his opinions of them.