Sufjan Stevens has dedicated his just-released album, Javelin, to his partner, Evans Richardson IV, who died earlier this year. Stevens, who is known to be fiercely private about his dating life, penned a heart-wrenching tribute to Richardson on social media, calling him “an absolute gem of a person, full of life, love, laughter, curiosity, integrity, and joy.” Richardson was the chief of staff at New York’s Studio Museum in Harlem and chair of the American Alliance of Museums’ Accreditation Commission.

“This album is dedicated to the light of my life, my beloved partner and best friend Evans Richardson, who passed away in April. He was one of those rare and beautiful ones you find only once in a lifetime—precious, impeccable, and absolutely exceptional in every way,” Stevens wrote.