Bon Iver

Bon Iver is the project of American singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, formed in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The name is a play on the French phrase «bon hiver», meaning good winter, reflecting the story behind the 2007 debut album For Emma, Forever Ago, written and recorded in isolation in a Wisconsin cabin. That album's hushed, falsetto-driven folk sound, built around tracks like «Skinny Love» and «For Emma», established Vernon as one of the defining voices of American indie folk in the late 2000s.

Over the following decade Bon Iver moved steadily away from its acoustic origins. The self-titled Bon Iver, Bon Iver expanded the palette with brass, saxophone and richer arrangements, while 22, A Million embraced glitchy electronics, sampling and heavy vocal processing, marking a sharp stylistic turn. The 2019 album i,i drew the earlier phases together, pairing the project's folk roots with its more experimental, textured production.

Vernon has also collaborated widely outside Bon Iver, notably with Kanye West on several albums and with James Blake and members of The National, and he co-founded the roots project Volcano Choir and the Eaux Claires festival. Bon Iver's blend of intimate songwriting with adventurous production has made it a touchstone for a generation of folk and indie-electronic artists.