Rufus Wainwright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rufus Wainwright
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Portrait of Wainwright by Oliver Mark, Berlin 2010
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Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright
July 22, 1973 Rhinebeck, New York, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) |
Jörn Weisbrodt
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Loudon Wainwright III Kate McGarrigle |
| Relatives | Martha Wainwright (sister) Lucy Wainwright Roche (half-sister) |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has released eleven studio albums. He has also written two classical operas and set Shakespeare's sonnets to music for a theater show.
Wainwright's first album, Rufus Wainwright, came out in 1998. His second album, Poses, was released in 2001. Later, his albums Want One (2003) and Want Two (2004) were combined into a double album called Want in 2005. In 2007, he released his fifth studio album, Release the Stars, and his first live album, Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall.
His later albums include All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu (2010) and Out of the Game (2012). He also released Prima Donna (2015), which was a recording of his opera. His album Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets (2016) featured music for Shakespeare's sonnets. Rufus's 10th album, Unfollow the Rules, came out in 2020. His 11th album, Folkocracy, was released in 2023.
Wainwright is the son of musicians Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. He is also the older brother of singer Martha Wainwright.
Contents
About Rufus Wainwright's Life and Music
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Rufus Wainwright was born in Rhinebeck, New York, USA. His parents, Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III, were folk singers. They divorced when he was three years old. Rufus then lived with his mother in Montreal, Canada, for most of his childhood. He has citizenship in both the US and Canada.
He started playing the piano at age six. By age 13, he was touring with his family's folk group, "The McGarrigle Sisters and Family." This group included Rufus, his sister Martha, his mother Kate, and his aunt Anna. When he was 14, his song "I'm a-Runnin'" was featured in the film Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller. This song earned him a nomination for a Genie Award in 1989. He was also nominated for a Juno Award in 1990 as "Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year."
Rufus became very interested in opera when he was a teenager. This type of music greatly influences his own songs. For example, his song "Barcelona" uses words from the opera Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi. He also enjoyed music by Édith Piaf, Al Jolson, and Judy Garland.
Becoming Famous and First Album
In 1995, Rufus played weekly shows at Cafe Sarajevo in Montreal. He made some demo tapes, which are recordings to show his music. These tapes impressed his father, who shared them with musician Van Dyke Parks. Parks then sent the recordings to DreamWorks Records, and Rufus was signed to the label in 1996.
He moved to New York City in 1996 and later to Los Angeles. There, he started working on his first studio album, Rufus Wainwright, which was released in 1998. He recorded 56 songs for this album.
His first album received great reviews. Rolling Stone magazine called it one of the best albums of the year. They also named him "Best New Artist of the year." The album won a GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding Music Album" and a Juno Award for "Best Alternative Album." Even with these awards, the album did not sell widely at first.
In 1998, Wainwright toured with Sean Lennon and then started his own headline tour. He also appeared in a Gap commercial, singing "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?".
The Want Albums
In 2003, Rufus released the album Want One. His next album, Want Two, came out in 2004. These two albums were later combined and released as Want in 2005. This was done to go along with the start of his tour in Britain. The Want package in the UK included two extra songs: "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" and "In With the Ladies."
In 2005, a DVD called All I Want was released. It included a documentary about his life, music videos, and live performances. That same year, Rufus sang on two other important albums: I Am a Bird Now by Antony and the Johnsons and At This Time by Burt Bacharach.
Release the Stars and Judy Garland Tribute
Wainwright's fifth studio album, Release the Stars, was released in 2007. Rufus produced the album himself. It featured other musicians like Richard Thompson and his sister Martha Wainwright. The album reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. The first song released from the album was "Going to a Town".
Two music videos were made for the album: "Going to a Town" and "Rules and Regulations." Release the Stars was certified gold in the UK, meaning it sold many copies. Rufus went on a world tour for this album, visiting North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
In 2006, Rufus performed two sold-out shows at Carnegie Hall. He sang the entire Judy Garland concert album that she recorded there in 1961. He later performed this show again in London, Paris, and Los Angeles. Live recordings of these concerts were released in 2007. The CD album, Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009.
Prima Donna Opera and Family Life
In 2008, Rufus came up with the idea of Blackoutsabbath. This was an effort to help the environment. People were asked to use less energy on a certain day by unplugging things and walking or biking.
In December 2008, Rufus performed with his sister, Martha Wainwright, and mother, Kate McGarrigle, at the Knitting Factory in New York. Other artists like Emmylou Harris and Lou Reed also joined them. They sang Christmas songs. This concert was released on DVD in 2009.
After his tour, Wainwright started writing his first opera, Prima Donna. It is about an opera singer getting ready for her comeback. The opera is sung in French. Prima Donna first opened at the Manchester International Festival in 2009. It later won an award in June 2011.
New Album and Daughter's Birth
In 2009, Wainwright announced he had finished his sixth studio album, All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu. It was released in 2010.
In December 2009, Rufus performed with his sister and mother at the Royal Albert Hall in London. This concert raised money for the Kate McGarrigle Fund, which helps raise awareness about a rare cancer called sarcoma. This was his mother's last performance before she passed away in January 2010.
In 2010, Rufus became engaged to his partner Jörn Weisbrodt. They moved to Toronto, Canada, in 2012.
In 2011, Wainwright announced the birth of his daughter, Viva Katherine Wainwright Cohen. Her mother is Lorca Cohen, the daughter of Leonard Cohen.
In 2011, a large 19-disc box set called House of Rufus was released. It included all his studio and live recordings, plus some new music.
Out of the Game and Marriage
Wainwright recorded his seventh studio album, Out of the Game, with producer Mark Ronson. He said the new songs were more "danceable." The album was released in 2012.
On August 23, 2012, Rufus Wainwright and Jörn Weisbrodt got married in Montauk, New York.
Second Opera and Recent Works
His second opera, called Hadrian, premiered in 2018 at the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto.
In 2015, Wainwright launched a new version of his first opera, Prima Donna. It was shown with a film directed by Francesco Vezzoli.
In 2018, Rufus released the song "Sword of Damocles". He then signed a new record deal. In 2020, his 10th studio album, Unfollow the Rules, was released. It received very good reviews.
In 2023, Wainwright announced his 11th studio album, Folkocracy. He said he invited many singers he admired to sing with him on this album. He released the song "Down in the Willow Garden" with Brandi Carlile.
In September 2023, Wainwright performed at the Royal Albert Hall in the BBC Proms. He sang songs from his albums Want One and Want Two with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Wainwright's opera, Dream Requiem, premiered in 2024. An album of the soundtrack is expected in 2025 and will feature actress Meryl Streep.
Rufus Wainwright's Artistry and Style
Rufus Wainwright has a tenor singing voice. He plays piano and guitar, often switching between them during live shows. Some of his songs feature just him and his piano. His later music often includes rock instruments or a symphony orchestra. His music has complex layers and harmonies that sound like opera.
Wainwright loves opera and the songs called lieder by Franz Schubert. His music is sometimes called "popera" (pop opera) or "baroque pop". Many of his songs combine strings, horns, opera choirs, and ragtime rhythms.
He often performs with his sister, Martha Wainwright, who sings backup vocals.
Common Themes in His Music
Wainwright's songs often explore themes like opera, books, pop culture, politics, and love. He sings about different kinds of love, including unrequited love (love that is not returned). Songs like "This Love Affair" and "Leaving for Paris" talk about falling in and out of love.
He also sings about his family. "Beauty Mark," "Little Sister," "Martha," and "Dinner at Eight" are about his experiences with his mother, sisters, and father.
The song "Matinee Idol" is about actor River Phoenix. "Memphis Skyline" is a tribute to singer Jeff Buckley. Rufus met Jeff briefly in the 1990s. The song mentions "Hallelujah", a Leonard Cohen song that Buckley famously covered. "Nobody's Off the Hook" is written for his close friend and fellow musician Teddy Thompson.
His Influence on Other Artists
Rufus Wainwright and his music have inspired many other artists. These include Katy Perry, Olly Alexander from Years & Years, Liv Bruce of Pwr Bttm, and Kimbra.
In Nick Hornby's book Slam, the main characters name their child "Rufus." This is because the mother listened to Rufus Wainwright's music after giving birth.
Rufus Wainwright's Personal Life
Rufus Wainwright is openly gay. He married German art administrator Jörn Weisbrodt on August 23, 2012.
Wainwright has a daughter, Viva Katherine Wainwright Cohen, who was born on February 2, 2011. She lives with her mother.
Political Views
Wainwright considers himself a "complete libertarian". This means he believes the government should not interfere much in people's personal lives. In 2010, he publicly supported legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States. He wanted to marry Jörn Weisbrodt.
He has also spoken out against former US President Donald Trump. In 2018, he addressed Trump in the music video for his song "Sword of Damocles". In 2020, he said it was "impossible to minimise the ineptitude and pure evil of the Trump administration." In 2024, he spoke about Trump using his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at a rally. He called it "the height of blasphemy" and hoped Trump might feel regret after hearing the song's lyrics. He also supported Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.
Work in Film, TV, and Theater
Wainwright has appeared in several films, including The Aviator (2004), Silver Bullets (2011), and Heights. He also had a role in Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller. He has recorded songs specifically for movies like Brokeback Mountain, I Am Sam, Moulin Rouge!, and Shrek. His recording of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" plays at the end of the film The History Boys.
The All I Want DVD, released in 2005, includes a documentary about Rufus, live performances, music videos, and bonus features.
In 2005, the Pennsylvania Ballet performed a ballet set to Wainwright's music. In 2006, Stephen Petronio asked Wainwright to write music for his dance show BLOOM. For the lyrics, they used poems by Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson.
In 2006, Wainwright performed with the Pet Shop Boys at a concert in London. He sang their song "Casanova in Hell." This show was broadcast on BBC Radio and released as a CD.
In 2007, Wainwright was part of the True Colors Tour. This tour traveled through 15 cities in the US and Canada. It was hosted by comedian Margaret Cho and headlined by Cyndi Lauper. The tour raised money for the Human Rights Campaign. Wainwright said it was a "great honor" to perform on this tour for gay rights.
In 2009, Wainwright worked with the Berliner Ensemble and director Robert Wilson. He provided music for their show Shakespeares Sonette, which was based on Shakespeare's sonnets.
In 2012, Wainwright released a comedy video on the Funny or Die website. He gave his funny interpretation of chewing gum jingles. Also in 2012, he wrote and sang "Metaphorical Blanket" for the film Any Day Now.
In December 2023, Wainwright performed "Hushabye Mountain" from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on a CBS TV special.
In March 2024, a new version of John Cassavetes's Opening Night opened in London. Wainwright wrote the music and lyrics for this show.
Rufus Wainwright's Albums
- Studio albums
- Rufus Wainwright (1998)
- Poses (2001)
- Want One (2003)
- Want Two (2004)
- Release the Stars (2007)
- All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu (2010)
- Out of the Game (2012)
- Prima Donna (2015)
- Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets (2016)
- Unfollow the Rules (2020)
- Folkocracy (2023)
- Dream Requiem (2025)
Tours Rufus Wainwright Has Done
Headlining Tours
- 1999: 1999 Tour
- 2001: Poses Tour
- 2003–04: Rufus Wainwright: Live in Concert
- 2007–08: Release the Stars Tour
- 2011: An Evening with Rufus Wainwright
- 2012–13: Out of the Game Tour
- 2014: The Best of Rufus Wainwright
- 2016–17: Rufus in Concert
- 2018–19: All These Poses: Anniversary Tour
- 2019: Oh Solo Wainwright Tour
- 2021–23: Unfollow the Rules Tour
Tours with Other Artists
- 2004: Triple-Headliner Tour (with Ben Folds and Guster)
- 2005: Odd Man Out Tour (with Ben Folds and Ben Lee)
Opening for Other Artists
- 1998: Navy Blues Tour (for Sloan)
- 2001: Roxy Music World Tour (for Roxy Music)
- 2001: Strange Little Tour (for Tori Amos)
- 2004: Sacred Love Tour (for Sting)
- 2005: Hopes and Fears Tour (for Keane)
- 2007: True Colors (with Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Erasure)
Awards and Nominations for Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright has won two Juno Awards for "Best Alternative Album." He won in 1999 for Rufus Wainwright and in 2002 for Poses. When he was 15, in 1989, he was nominated for a Genie Award for "Best Original Song." A year later, he was nominated for a Juno Award for "Most Promising Male Vocalist." He was also nominated for a BRIT Award in 2008 and a Grammy Award in 2009 and 2020.
Images for kids
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Rufus Wainwright's signature
See also
In Spanish: Rufus Wainwright para niños
