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Artist
Stephan Nance
12+ albums
singer-songwriterindiealternativejapanesebirds
about
Stephan Nance—also known as Sparkbird—is a Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter specializing in poetic piano pop-rock. In 2012, following a modest tour of vegan-friendly frozen yogurt shops, they released their debut album, A Troubled Piece of Fruit. The album enjoyed favorable reviews, and the song “Japanese Garden” earned a nomination in the 2012 OUTMusic Awards. This marginal success was followed by a prolonged interval of trauma-induced creative block, which lasted from 2013 until 2016. After years of therapy and immersion in the world of birding, Stephan finally returned to music with newfound vigor, churning out dozens of new songs. In spring of 2017, Stephan played a 9-show tour of Japan which included Q&As at Japanese high schools. That fall, they collaborated with Hotel RL, performing at hotels throughout the US. Stephan wrapped up the year with the first leg of their Incredible Distance Tour, with stops in the UK, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Italy, France, and Morocco. Early 2018 saw the release of Stephan's Incredible Distance EP, and the Japan leg of the Incredible Distance Tour, with shows in Sapporo, Fukuoka, Ibusuki, Saga, Shunan, Okayama, and Shimosuwa. Somehow, in the midst of all this, Stephan graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, with a minor in French and a strong focus on Queer Studies. Look at the Harlequins!, a new six-song EP, was released on January 11, 2019, followe
