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.
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.
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.
Strange is bisexual.
As lead artist
As featured artist
Guest appearances
Remixes
Headlining
Supporting