Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens is one of the most beloved and influential singer-songwriters of all time. Beyond his vast musical success, his spiritual search has added depth to a groundbreaking career.

Cat first found success in the mid-60s with "I Love My Dog" and "Matthew and Son". He was a prolific songwriter who devoted much of his time to writing songs for other artists, such as "Here Comes My Baby" and "The First Cut Is The Deepest"; the latter, in particular, would go on to become an international hit on multiple occasions thanks to interpretations by a variety of artists.

In 1968 Cat suffered a potentially fatal bout of tuberculosis that led to a hospital stay lasting several months. It was during this period that he began a significant process of inner reflection and meditation.

After recovering, and with a new outlook on the world, Cat underwent a profound musical transformation. He wrote around 40 songs and made fundamental changes to his lifestyle. His new sound became more stripped-back and intimate, his lyrics gained subtlety and depth, and in his private life he began exploring a variety of spiritual paths.

The period from 1970 to 1974 saw Cat Stevens rise to the top of the charts. After breaking through with the famous "Lady D'Arbanville", he released "Tea For The Tillerman", which went gold in America, featuring classics such as "Wild World", "Hard Headed Woman", "Where Do the Children Play?" and "Father & Son". The follow-up, 1971's "Teaser And The Firecat", cemented the British singer-songwriter's following. Songs like "Morning Has Broken", "Peace Train" and "Moonshadow" were embraced by an entire generation as anthems of peace and unity. The songs from this era would go on to be cherished by future generations too, as shown by the cover of "Father & Son" that became a huge hit for Irish pop band Boyzone in the 90s.

In 1975 Cat experienced another life-changing, era-defining event. While swimming in the Pacific Ocean off Malibu, he began to be dragged out to sea. Fearing imminent death, he called out to God, pleading that if he were saved, he would dedicate his life to God's service. At that moment a gentle wave carried him safely back to shore. A chain of events was set in motion, and after receiving a copy of the Qur'an from his brother, Cat Stevens embraced Islam in 1977.

During his Islamic studies Cat felt a strong affinity with the story of Joseph and decided to take its Arabic equivalent as his new name, becoming Yusuf Islam in 1978. He then stunned the world by stepping away from fame and his career as a music star, starting a family and devoting himself to charity work. "I wasn't too worried about what people thought, people would understand, gradually, I told myself. After all, everyone knew I was 'on the road to find out'", he would later recall.

After getting married and having children, Yusuf became deeply involved in education and humanitarian aid. He helped found the charity Muslim Aid and took part directly in its early initiatives in Africa, Asia and Europe. He also founded a Muslim primary school in north London in 1983.

In the late 90s, Yusuf and his wife, Fawziah, founded the charity Small Kindness in response to the devastating conflicts in the Balkans. The charity focused its efforts on supporting orphans, widows and families affected by the conflict. Small Kindness continues to help victims of humanitarian disasters and has received international recognition for its work.

During this period Yusuf also began producing recordings for his own label, "Mountain Of Light", starting in 1995 with "The Life Of The Last Prophet". From 2000 onwards he focused on albums for a younger audience and produced some of the most popular children's CDs in the Muslim world, including "A is for Allah" and "I Look I See".

The tragic events of September 11 prompted Yusuf to once again take to the world stage, speaking out against war and fanaticism. He began performing some of his old repertoire again, in particular "Peace Train", because of its message.

In 2003 Yusuf received the "World Social Award" in Germany for "having dedicated his life to helping the needy and the sick". And in 2004 he was awarded the Man of Peace prize by Mikhail Gorbachev on behalf of a committee of Nobel Peace Prize laureates for his work to "ease the suffering of thousands of children and their parents and for dedicating himself to promoting peace, reconciling people and condemning terrorism".

Yusuf's full return to music came in 2006 with the release of "An Other Cup", which once again showcased his sweet voice, engaging melodies and touching lyrics. Three years later another new album, "Roadsinger", cemented his comeback. This was followed by the "Guess I'll Take My Time" tour, which saw Yusuf perform songs from both his new and old catalogue across the UK in 2009, Australia in 2010 and the rest of Europe in 2011.

In 2012 Yusuf explored a new musical direction by staging a musical called "Moonshadow". Drawing on songs from across his entire career, the musical explores many of the themes and ideas that have shaped the English artist's thinking.

In 2014 he appeared as a guest on the opening night of the Sanremo Festival, performing "Peace Train", "Maybe There's a World" (featuring a quote from the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love") and "Father And Son". That same year he released the album "Tell 'Em I'm Gone", a mix of covers and new songs. Three years later came "The Laughing Apple", while in 2023 Yusuf/Cat Stevens released a new album titled "King Of A Land".

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google