Cat Stevens net worth, age, real name, wife, songs, albums, biography and latest updates.
Cat Stevens, a talented musician from the United Kingdom, gained widespread recognition in the 1960s after the release of his hit song “Wild World.” Alongside his wife, Fauzia, he established the Small Kindness charity to aid those in need. Stevens used his music to combat terrorism and also became an advocate for education in the UK. In fact, numerous artists have achieved success by covering his songs over the years.
After a successful career in music, Stevens surprised his fans by abruptly quitting the industry in 1978. However, he made a stunning comeback in 2014 during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He captivated the audience by performing “Father and Son,” a song that has touched the hearts of countless individuals for decades.
Cat Stevens Biography & Profile Summary
| Name | Cat Stevens (Stephen Demetre Georgiou) |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Steve Adams, Yusuf Islam |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 21st July 1948 |
| Age | 71 years |
| Career | Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and philanthropist |
| Nationality | British |
Who is Cat Stevens?
Cat Stevens is a British singer-songwriter who gained popularity in the 1970s with his deep and reflective songs. He has a long career of more than five decades, during which he has produced several albums and received recognition for his significant contributions to the music industry.
Cat Stevens Early Life and Family
Cat Stevens was born Stephen Demetre Georgiou on July 21, 1948, in London, England, as the youngest of three children. His parents, Stavros Georgiou and Ingrid Wickman, were restaurateurs who ran the Moulin Rouge on Shaftsbury Avenue. Stevens and his siblings grew up working in the restaurant, waiting tables and helping out wherever they could.
Stevens’ parents had different religious backgrounds – his father was Greek Orthodox, while his mother was a Swedish Baptist. However, they decided to send their son to a Roman Catholic school, which had a profound impact on his moral values and worldview. Stevens was raised with an anti-Muslim bias, which would later influence his music.
Stevens showed an early interest in music, and his parents encouraged him to learn the piano. He honed his skills by practicing on the instrument in the apartment above the family’s restaurant. The young musician was influenced by the glitz and glamour of the West End theatre district, which was just a stone’s throw away from their home.
Cat Stevens Musical Career
Stevens’ interest in music continued to grow, and at the age of 15, he convinced his father to buy him a guitar. He began writing his own songs and performing at local bars and coffeehouses.
In 1966, Stevens landed a publishing deal as a songwriter, and the following year, he signed with Decca Records and released his first album, “Matthew and Son.” The album featured hits such as “I Love My Dog” and “Here Comes My Baby,” which helped to establish Stevens as a rising star in the music industry.
However, Stevens soon grew dissatisfied with the direction that his music was taking. He wanted to explore more mature and introspective themes, but his label was more interested in churning out pop hits that would appeal to a teenage audience. Stevens fell into a deep depression, and his health began to suffer as a result of his hard-partying lifestyle.
In 1968, Stevens was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent three months in the hospital. During his recovery, he began to reevaluate his life and his music. He emerged from this period with a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to create music that was more meaningful and introspective.
Stevens’ next album, “Tea for the Tillerman” (1970), was a commercial and critical success, featuring hits such as “Wild World” and “Father and Son.” The album was followed by “Teaser and the Firecat” (1971), which featured the popular songs “Morning Has Broken” and “Moonshadow.”
Stevens continued to release successful albums throughout the 1970s, including “Catch Bull at Four” (1972) and “Buddha and the Chocolate Box” (1974). In 1975, he released a greatest hits album that went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Cat Stevens songs and albums
- Tea for the Tillerman (1970)
- Wild World
- Hard Headed Woman
- Where Do the Children Play?
- Moonshadow
- Peace Train
- Morning Has Broken
- Teaser and the Firecat (1971)
- Catch Bull at Four (1972)
- Izitso (1975)
- An Other Cup (2006)
- Roadsinger (2009)
- ’Em I’m Gone (2014)
Cat Stevens Conversion to Islam
In 1977, while swimming at a beach in Malibu, Stevens had a near-death experience. He nearly drowned, but a wave pushed him to shore as if in answer to his prayers. Facing imminent death led the singer to make a promise: If divine intervention could save him from drowning, Stevens would devote his life to honoring God.
Soon after this brush with mortality, Stevens’ brother gave him a copy of the Koran as a birthday present. The book made a deep impact on the musician, and he began to study Islam in earnest. In December 1977, Stevens officially converted to the Muslim faith and changed his name to Yusuf Islam.
Along with his adherence to his newfound religion, Yusuf Islam mandated that he would no longer record secular music. He felt that it was incompatible with his faith and that he had been using his talent for self-aggrandizement rather than for the glory of God. The following year, A&M Records released “Back to Earth,” a backlog of previously recorded tracks. The release experienced mild success, but it would be Yusuf Islam’s last secular album for many years.
Cat Stevens Life as a Muslim
In September 1979, Yusuf Islam entered into an arranged marriage with Fawzia Ali, and founded a Muslim school near London. For the most part, he lived a quiet life devoted to his family and faith and wasn’t heard from until the late 1980s.
In 1989, Yusuf Islam claims he was misrepresented as supporting the death sentence for exiled novelist Salman Rushdie. As a result, Yusuf Islam’s music was largely removed from the airwaves in the United States, and he was blacklisted from the music industry. However, Yusuf Islam vigorously condemned the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, and he was placed on a “no-fly” list, which prevented him from entering the United States.
In the mid-1990s, Yusuf Islam began to release albums of spiritual lectures and Islamic-themed music. But these, combined with his philanthropic efforts, couldn’t seem to erase his previous stigma. He was also accused of funding the Hamas paramilitary group, but he denied doing so knowingly.
Cat Stevens Wife
Cat Stevens dated Carly Simon, Linda Lewis, and Patti D’Arbanville before marrying. His wife, Fauzia Mubarak Ali, married him in 1979 in an arranged marriage. Their children are Amina, Asmaa, Maymanah, Hasanah, Abd al-Ahad, and Yoriyos. He gave them his surname, Islam. The couple is also blessed with grandchildren.
Cat Stevens Struggles
Cat Stevens led a hard-partying lifestyle and became an alcoholic because he was depressed. He suffered from tuberculosis and collapsed while performing on stage in 1969. He retired from the music industry in 1978 but returned to music after 28 years in 2006.
What is Cat Stevens’ Net Worth?
Cat Stevens, the British singer-songwriter and musician, has a net worth of $10 million.
