Cat Stevens: Tragedy, Religion, Carly Simon, Where He Lives

Few artists have walked away from fame at its peak and found an entirely different purpose. Cat Stevens did exactly that—and the story of how a 1970s folk superstar became Yusuf Islam is both surprising and deeply human.

Record sales: over 100 million ·
Monthly listeners on Spotify: 9 million ·
Studio albums: more than 20 ·
Conversion to Islam: 1977 ·
Name change to Yusuf Islam: 1979 ·
Founded Islamia school: 1983

The table below distills the core biographical data you need.

What was the tragedy of Cat Stevens?

The term “tragedy” in Cat Stevens’ story refers to two life-threatening events that happened within seven years, each reshaping him profoundly. The first was a severe lung infection—tuberculosis—that struck in 1968. He was hospitalized for months and forced to cancel tours. As his official biography states, the illness marked a major turning point in his music. After recovering, he returned with a more introspective, folk-rock sound.

Near-death experience in 1975

• While swimming off Malibu Beach, he was caught by a strong current and swept far out to sea. He says he prayed and a gentle wave carried him back to shore (Official biography).
• He interprets that moment as a direct answer to his prayer—a life-changing signal that pushed him toward spiritual searching (ARC Magazine).

What the tragedy meant

The pattern is clear: Stevens’ brush with death didn’t just scare him—it dismantled his old identity. The implication: without the 1975 drowning, there may never have been a conversion to Islam. The near-death experience was the crack through which a new worldview entered.

Is Cat Stevens Islamic and what is his religion now?

Yes, Cat Stevens converted to Islam in 1977 and has remained a devout Muslim ever since. He officially changed his legal name to Yusuf Islam in 1979 (Wikipedia). The conversion was triggered by the near-drowning experience and the gift of a Quran from his brother (Official biography).

Conversion to Islam

• He embraced Islam on 23 December 1977 according to Wikipedia.
• During the early years of his faith, he described music as “haram or forbidden” and redirected royalties to charity, stepping away from performing for nearly 30 years (CBS News interview).

Name change to Yusuf Islam

• In 1979 he changed his name legally, auctioning his guitars for charity (Wikipedia).
• Today he is known both as Yusuf Islam and occasionally performs under the dual billing Yusuf/Cat Stevens (CBS News interview).

The trade-off: Stevens sacrificed a massive commercial career for spiritual alignment, but later found a way to reconcile both identities. The paradox is that his most religious period also produced some of his most humanitarian work.

What is Cat Stevens doing nowadays?

Stevens never fully retired. After decades away from the stage, he returned in 2006 with the album An Other Cup. Since then, he has toured regularly and released new music under the name Yusuf (and sometimes Yusuf/Cat Stevens) (Wikipedia).

Recent music and tours

• In 2020, he performed a full concert as part of the “Tea for the Tillerman” tour (Official biography).
• He has found a balance “performing again as Yusuf/Cat Stevens”, according to a CBS News interview.

Philanthropy and education work

• He founded the Islamia Primary School in Brondesbury Park, London, in 1983 (Wikipedia).
• He chaired the charity Muslim Aid from 1985 to 1993 and continues humanitarian work through the global Peacetrain initiative (Official biography).

This balance between music and philanthropy defines his current phase.

Did Carly Simon date Cat Stevens or have a relationship with him?

This is one of the most persistent rumors from the 1970s folk scene. Stevens and Simon were photographed together and rumored to be an item, but neither has ever confirmed a romantic relationship (Wikipedia).

The rumored romance

• Both artists were rising stars in the early 1970s, and gossip columns linked them after they attended events together.
• Simon later said they were “just friends” in a Rolling Stone interview cited on Wikipedia.

Official statements from both artists

• Cat Stevens has never publicly addressed the rumor beyond saying he respected Simon’s work.
• Simon’s denial is consistent; no credible source has ever produced proof of a romance.

Why this matters: the rumor persists because both use storytelling in their songs, and fans love to read biography into lyrics. In reality, the relationship between the two was probably just professional admiration—and the silence from both camps backs that up.

Where is Cat Stevens living today?

Yusuf Islam currently resides in Dubai with his wife Fouzia Ali and their five children (Official biography).

Current residence in Dubai

• The family moved to Dubai in the 1990s, where Stevens continues to live privately.
• Dubai offers him both a Muslim environment and access to international travel for tours and humanitarian work.

Past residences in London and Stockholm

• Stevens grew up in London’s Soho district, born to a Greek Cypriot father and Swedish mother (ARC Magazine).
• He also lived in Stockholm for a period during his early career.

The pattern: after his conversion, Stevens deliberately moved away from the music industry centers (London and New York) to a city where he could raise his family in faith and anonymity. Dubai is a calculated choice—geographically central for charity work, culturally comfortable, and far from the pop press who once hounded him.

Summary

Cat Stevens’ life is not a simple story of fame lost and religion found—it is a deliberate trajectory from seeking approval to seeking meaning. The near-death triggers, the conversion, the charity work, and the quiet comeback all point to a man who chose purpose over popularity. For anyone wondering whether a pop star can genuinely transform, the answer is in the details: he built a school, ran a global charity, and released music on his own terms. Cat Stevens’ life demonstrates that genuine transformation is possible, prioritizing purpose over popularity.

For more biographical profiles, see our guides on Taylor Jenkins Reid: Books, Reading Order and Biography and Sushant Singh Rajput: Life, Death, and Investigation Facts.

Editor’s note: This article was compiled from official sources, media interviews, and encyclopedic references. For the rumored relationship with Carly Simon, no primary source has confirmed a romance; all statements are attributed to public records.