FACT CHECK: Did Pitchfork Report Grammy Nominee Sufjan Stevens Converted To Islam?

A post shared on Instagram purportedly shows an article from the music publication Pitchfork that claims Grammy-nominated musician Sufjan Stevens converted to Islam.

Verdict: False

The image is digitally fabricated. There is no evidence Pitchfork published such an article.

Fact Check:

Stevens received a Grammy Award nomination for his song “Mystery Of Love” in the 2017 film “Call Me By Your Name.” He previously discussed his Christian faith with Australia’s ABC in 2020 as well as The Atlantic in a 2015 article.

The Instagram post, liked over 1,700 times, appears to show a screenshot of a Pitchfork article from music and culture journalist Allison Hussey titled, “Sufjan Stevens Has Converted To Islam.” The article claims Stevens announced his conversion in a Tumblr blog.

“It was only a matter of time,” the Instagram caption reads in response. (RELATED: Does This Video Show The First Islamic Call To Prayer In Spain In 500 Years?)

The screenshot is digitally fabricated. Pitchfork’s website does not feature any reports about Stevens converting to Islam. The claim is also absent from the outlet’s social media posts.

Hussey responded to the claim via Twitter, calling the screenshot fake.

I have been getting questions about this screenshot that is circulating. it is fake! I do not know the status of Sufjan’s ~*spiritual journey~* pic.twitter.com/BzLRvrAOQk

— Allison Hussey (@allisonhussey) June 2, 2022

There are no credible news reports suggesting Stevens has switched religions or has expressed interest in doing so. No such announcement appears on his Instagram account.

Stevens has stated that his first name means “comes with a sword,” and that it is “a charming militaristic Muslim name,” according to Vogue.

This is not the first time a notable individual has been the target of a false conversion claim. Check Your Fact previously debunked a viral May 2021 post that alleged a daughter of former President George W. Bush had converted to Islam.

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