Moses Sumney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moses Sumney
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Sumney performing at Pitchfork Music Festival, 2018
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| Background information | |
| Born | May 19, 1992 |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, actor |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | James Blake, Solange Knowles, Sufjan Stevens, Thundercat |
Moses Sumney, born on May 19, 1992, is a talented American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his unique voice and creative music style. Moses started his music journey by recording his own songs.
His first collection of songs, an EP called Mid-City Island, came out in 2014. He then released another EP, Lamentations, in 2016. His first full album, Aromanticism, was released in September 2017. His second album, Græ, followed in 2020. Moses Sumney has also performed with famous artists like James Blake and Solange Knowles. In 2023, he appeared in The Weeknd's TV show The Idol on HBO.
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Moses Sumney's Early Life
Moses Sumney was born in California. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to Ghana because his parents were pastors. He found it a bit hard to get used to life in Ghana, especially since it was very different from California. He grew up on a goat farm in Accra and took a public bus to school.
When Moses was 16, his family moved back to Southern California, settling in Riverside. He didn't start playing musical instruments until he was older. For many years, he wrote music that was meant to be sung without instruments, known as a cappella. He didn't perform his songs for the public until he was 20.
After finishing high school in 2010, Moses moved to Los Angeles. He went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There, he studied creative writing and poetry, which helped him become a better songwriter.
Moses Sumney's Music Career
In 2014, Moses Sumney became well-known in the Los Angeles music scene. Many record labels noticed his talent. However, he felt that these labels wanted him to change his style. He wanted to discover his own artistic path. So, he decided to turn down their offers and moved to Asheville, North Carolina. This idea of staying true to himself is even seen in his album Græ.
First Music Projects
Moses Sumney's first project, Mid-City Island, was released in 2014. It was an EP with five songs that he recorded himself. He used a special four-track recorder given to him by Dave Sitek from the band TV on the Radio. Pitchfork magazine described this EP as "stirring but purposefully incomplete." After this release, Moses joined Terrible Records. He believes that his songs are best when performed live, and many of his recorded songs started as live performances.
He has performed at famous places like the Hollywood Bowl. He has also shared the stage with artists such as Dirty Projectors and St. Vincent. Moses Sumney also sang on the first song of Beck's album Song Reader. In September 2016, he released another EP called Lamentations, which featured the artist Thundercat.
Releasing Albums and Featured Songs
Moses Sumney's first full-length album, Aromanticism, came out on September 22, 2017. It was released by Jagjaguwar. The album received great reviews from magazines like Rolling Stone and The New York Times. The New York Times even called it one of the best albums of 2017. Moses found the word "aromantic" in 2014 and felt it connected with his music.
Many songs from Aromanticism have been used in TV shows. His 2017 song "Doomed" was in the Netflix show Orange is the New Black and also in Westworld. His song "Quarrel" appeared in Netflix’s Dear White People. The songs "Plastic" and "Keeps Me Alive" were featured in HBO's Insecure. "Quarrel," "Doomed," and "Swan Song" were all in the 2021 movie Swan Song.
Moses Sumney also appeared as himself in an episode of HBO's Random Acts of Flyness. He was also in the movie Creed and helped with its soundtrack.
His second studio album, Græ, was released in two parts in 2020. The first part came out on February 21, 2020, and the second part on May 15, 2020. In March 2020, he released a music video for "Cut Me," which he directed himself.
In December 2020, Moses Sumney's song "Me in 20 Years" was featured in a special episode of the HBO show Euphoria. He also covered the Metallica song "The Unforgiven" for a special album called The Metallica Blacklist in September 2021. On December 8, 2021, Moses Sumney released a full concert film called Blackalachia. It was filmed over two days in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A live album, Live from Blackalachia, was released two days later.
Awards and Recognitions
Moses Sumney has received several awards and honors for his work. In 2018, his music video for "Quarrel," which he directed, won a special award at the SXSW Film Festival. It was also nominated for other awards. In 2020, his self-directed video for "Cut Me" was nominated for Best Alternative Video - International at the UKMVA awards. Both of his main albums have been listed among the best albums of the year by many music critics and publications.
Moses Sumney's Music Releases
Moses Sumney has released several musical works, including studio albums, live albums, and EPs.
Studio Albums
- Aromanticism (2017)
- Græ (2020)
Live Albums
- Live from Blackalachia (2021)
Extended Plays (EPs)
- Mid-City Island (2014)
- Lamentations (2016)
- Make Out in My Car: Chameleon Suite (2018)
- Black in Deep Red, 2014 (2018)
- Bryce Dessner: Tenebre (with Ensemble Resonanz) (2019)
- Sophcore (2024)
Notable Singles
- "Man on the Moon" (2014)
- "Doomed" (2017)
- "Quarrel" (2017)
- "Virile" (2019)
- "Polly" (2019)
- "Me in 20 Years" (2020)
- "Cut Me" (2020)
- "The Unforgiven" (2021) (a cover of the Metallica song)
- "Get It B4" (2023)
- "Vintage" (2024)
- "Gold Coast" (2024)
Moses Sumney's Acting Roles
Moses Sumney has also appeared in television and film.
- The Idol (2023) as Izaak
- MaXXXine (2024) as Leon Green
