Bartees Leon Cox Jr. (born 1989), known professionally as Bartees Strange, is an English-born American musician. Strange was born in Ipswich, England, raised in Mustang, Oklahoma, and is based in Baltimore, Maryland.
Early life Strange was born in Ipswich, England, to a military father and opera-singer mother. The family moved from England to Germany, Greenland, and various US states, before settling in Mustang, Oklahoma, when Strange was 12.
Before becoming a musician, Strange worked as the director of communications for a nonprofit environmental organization in Washington, D.C.
Career While living in Brooklyn, Strange was a member of the post-hardcore band Stay Inside, from 2016 to 2018. In late 2017, he released his first solo effort, the acoustic folk EP Magic Boy, under the name Bartees & the Strange Fruit.
In March 2020, Strange released an EP of re-imagined covers of songs by the National, titled Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy, on Brassland. After being named an "Artist to Watch" by Stereogum in 2020, Strange released his debut full-length album, Live Forever, on October 2, 2020. Featuring a mix of hip hop, indie rock, and jazz music, the album received positive reviews. Strange toured throughout 2021 and 2022, supporting artists such as Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett, and Car Seat Headrest.
In 2022, Strange released his second album, Farm to Table, to critical acclaim. In 2025, he issued his latest record, titled Horror.
Personal life Strange is bisexual.
Discography Studio albums Live Forever (2020) Farm to Table (2022) Horror (2025)
EPs Magic Boy (2017) (as Bartees & the Strange Fruit) Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy (2020) Magic Boy (2024) (2017 EP in new configuration, with different art and additional music) Shy Bairns Get Nowt (2025)
Live albums Live at Studio 4 (2021)
Singles As lead artist Title Year Peak chart positions Album US AAA"About Today"2020 —Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy"Lemonworld" —"Going Going" / "HAGS" —"The Geese of Beverly Road" / "Looking for Astronauts" —Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy"Mustang" —Live Forever"Boomer" —"Kelly Rowland" —"Weights"2021 — Live Forever (Deluxe)"Province" — "Heavy Heart"2022 —Farm to Table"Cosigns" —"Daily News" 2023 — "Lie 95"2024 —Horror"Sober" —"Too Much" —"Xmas" — "Wants Needs"2025 —Horror"Backseat Banton" 33
As featured artist Title Year Album"Plead Insanity"(Spring Silver featuring Bartees Strange and Sad13)2020rowspan="2" "Goldbrick Champion"(Broke Royals featuring Bartees Strange)"love that 4 u"(altopalo featuring Bartees Strange) 2022 frenemy
Guest appearances + Title Year Artist Album"It's Gold"2020Project DiemPluto"Milky""Top of the World"Dave HausePatty"Monsters"2021 Hit Like a Girl Heart Racer"The Pearl" Lorenzo Wolff Down Where the Valleys Are Low: Another Otherworld for Judee Sill"You Always Hurt the One You Love"2024 rowspan="2" The New Look (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack)"Big Glow" I Saw the TV Glow"Wolf Like Me" Anjimile, Kara Jackson Transa"You Are Special to Me" Cadence Weapon ROLLERCOASTER
Remixes Song Year Artist Album Title"Bone Skull" 2021 Glass Beach alchemist rats beg bashful (remixes)Bartees Strange Remix"Smartest Man"(featuring Arlissa) Homeschool Homeschool: Book I"Pool" Samia The Baby Reimagined Bartees Strange Version"Dreams" Hannah Georgas All That Emotion VersionsBartees Strange Remix"Emergency Equipment & Exits" Ganser Look at the Sun"Pool Hopping" Illuminati Hottiesrowspan="2" Strange Pool Remix"Kyoto" Phoebe Bridgers Bartees Strange Remix"Figure 8" 2023 Paramore Re: This Is Why Re: Bartees Strange
Production discography Title Year Artist Album Role"Good Luck Rd."2021Harmony WoodsGRACEFUL RAGEProducer"Rittenhouse""Easy""End""Holding You to You""God's Gift to Women""Graceful Rage""I Can't""Mirror"2022Cinema HeartsYour Ideal"Your Ideal""Everyday Is a Day Without You""Can I Tell You I Love You""Sister""Morning"OceanatorNothing's Ever Fine"Nightmare Machine""The Last Summer""Beach Days (Alive Again)""Solar Flares""Post Meridian""Stuck""From the Van""Bad Brain Daze""Summer Rain""Evening""You Good?"Proper.The Great American Novel Producer"Shuck and Jive"Producer, electric guitar"Red, White, & Blue""Jean"Producer"McConnell""Ganymede" Producer, electric guitar"Barbershop Interlude"Producer"In the Van Somewhere Outside of Birmingham""Juvie""The Routine""Huerta""Milk & Honey" Producer, synthesizer"Done Talking" Producer"Americana" Producer, synthesizer"Yeah... I'm Good (Epilogue)" Producer"I Am Right on Time"2024BleachersBleachers Electric guitar, background vocals, drums"We're Gonna Know Each Other Forever" Electric guitar, background vocals"Tiny Moves" Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synthesizer"Alma Mater" Electric guitar, background vocals"Cadence £∞™.mp3"Cadence WeaponROLLERCOASTER Co-writer, producer"YASTM.m4a" Writer, producer"You Are Special to Me"(featuring Bartees Strange) Featured artist, writer, producer"No One"Kacy HillBug Producer"You Know I Love You Still" Co-writer"Listen to You"Producer"Frog Rinse""Poquito Mas""Improvement" Daphne Eckman rowspan="2" "Juliet" Kacy Hill Co-writer"Ankles"2025Lucy DacusForever Is a Feeling Recording engineer"Best Guess" Producer, recording engineer, triangle
Tours Headlining 2021 tour
Supporting Phoebe Bridgers – Reunion Tour (2021) Lucy Dacus – 2021 tour Courtney Barnett – North American tour (2021) Car Seat Headrest – North American tour (2022) The National – 2022 tour Metric – The Doomscroller Tour (2022) Boygenius – The Tour (2023) The National – 2023 European tour
References
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