Teju Cole: If you had to focus on just one living writer or musician, who would it be?

Today, "Open City" writer Teju Cole posed a fun question (well, to the bookish and music-obsessed) on Twitter:

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Lit nerds jumped in with their favorite writers and musicians:

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As "The Devil in Silver" writer Victor LaValle points out, the exercise forces loyalty to an artist's work, even when it's struggling to be good:

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(This is sort of the point!)

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On Cole's list:

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Here are some other top picks from other journalists and writers:

The New York Times Book Review editor Parul Sehgal:
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The Atlantic senior editor Alexis Madrigal:
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Time executive editor Radhika Jones:
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New York Times Magazine columnist Rosie Schaap:
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Novelist Kate Zambreno:
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YA writer Kim Askew:
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Cole noticed a few absences, though:

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Who would be on your list?