Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and novelist from Montreal, widely regarded as one of the greatest lyricists in the English language. His songs including Hallelujah, Suzanne, Famous Blue Raincoat, and Bird on the Wire blend spiritual yearning, erotic longing, and existential depth. He explored Jewish mysticism, Zen Buddhism, and Christian imagery in a singular artistic voice.

Created a body of song and poetry unmatched in its integration of spiritual depth, literary craft, and romantic intensity; Hallelujah became one of the most covered and culturally resonant songs of the 20th century; his late-career albums Old Ideas (2012) and You Want It Darker (2016) are widely considered masterpieces of aging and mortality.