Leonard Cohen CC GOQ, born 21 September 1934 in Westmount, Quebec, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often deals with the exploration of religion, isolation, sexuality, and complex interpersonal relationships.

Cohen's earliest songs (many of which appeared on the 1967 album Songs of Leonard Cohen) were rooted in European folk music. In the 1970s his music encompassed pop, cabaret and world music. Since the 1980s his high baritone voice has evolved into lower registers (bass baritone and bass), with accompaniment from electronic synthesizers and female back up singers.

Over a thousand renditions of Cohen's songs have been recorded and his work has been cited as an influence on a wide range of singer-songwriters around the world. He has been inducted into both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. Whilst giving the speech at his induction into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 10 March 2008, Lou Reed described Cohen as being up amongst the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".