Antony and the Johnsons

The Profile

Antony and the Johnsons is a New York-based chamber/art pop group led by ANOHNI (formerly Antony Hegarty). Renowned for intimate piano-and-strings arrangements and a singular, emotive voice, the group won the 2005 Mercury Prize for I Am a Bird Now and is celebrated for themes of identity, vulnerability, and transformation.

Won the 2005 Mercury Prize for I Am a Bird Now; frequent collaborators and guests include Lou Reed, Boy George, Rufus Wainwright, and Devendra Banhart; the cover of I Am a Bird Now uses Peter Hujar’s photograph of Candy Darling.

DeBaser’s reviews hail I Am a Bird Now as a modern classic, praising Antony’s extraordinary, emotive voice and intimate piano-and-strings songwriting. Contributors highlight themes of sadness, hope, and transgender identity, along with notable guest spots (Lou Reed, Boy George, Rufus Wainwright, Devendra Banhart). The Crying Light earns strong acclaim; Another World is warmly received. Swanlights draws mixed reactions, admired in moments but seen as less impactful overall.