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Rufus Wainwright (born 22 July, 1973) is a gay Canadian-American singer-songwriter.
Biography
Wainwright was born in Rhinebeck, New York to folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle (they later divorced while he was a child). He began the piano at age six, and by age thirteen he was touring with his sister Martha, mother, and aunt Anna as the "McGarrigle Sisters and Family." His song "I'm Running," which he performed in the movie Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller, was nominated for the 1989 Genie Award for Best Original Song and earned him a nomination for the 1990 Juno Award for Most Promising Male Vocalist.
Despite being born in the United States, Wainwright strongly identifies with Canada and still maintains a residence there. He lived in Montreal with his mother for most of his childhood and briefly attended McGill University, where he studied both classical and 'rock' piano. Additionally, some of his songs feature his mastery of French.
Coming out as a homosexual while still in his teen, Wainwright found solace through opera throughout his adolescent years (His track Barcelona features lyrics ofGuiseppi Verdi). He also became an enthusiast of such performers as Edith Piaf, Al Jolson and Judy Garland.
After having been a fixture on the Montreal club circuit, Wainwright cut a series of demo tapes, one of which found itself in the hands of DreamWorks executive Lenny Waronker. The label signed him and he relased an album in the spring of 1998. This album landed much critical acclaim in Canada, and was even recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best albums of the year. Wainwright's sophomore album, Poses (2001), brought similar acclaim.
Wainwright's first main exposure to the American public came as an opener to singer Tori Amos in 2001 and 2002. He garnered great praise for his performance and began touring as a main act shortly afterwards. He has frequently toured as the opener for Sting and co-headlined with Ben Folds and Guster in the summer of 2004. He still often performs with his sister Martha Wainwright (now herself an emerging artist) on backup vocals.
In addition to being a pianist, Wainwright is a guitarist, often switching between the two instruments when performing live; however, his mastery of the guitar does not approach his talent with the piano. While some of his most moving songs feature just Wainwright with his piano, many of his songs display complex layering and harmonies, occasionally comprising hundreds of individual parts. Wainwright is an avid opera fan, and the influences on his music are evident; his music has been described as "Popera" (Pop Opera) or "Baroque Pop." His lyrics are filled with allusions to opera, literature, pop culture, and, more recently, politics (in songs such as "Gay Messiah" and "Waiting for a Dream").
Wainwright's newest album, Want Two, of which four songs were released as the EP Waiting for a Want, was released from DreamWorks/Geffen on November 16, 2004. It is a companion to the 2003 release Want One. He made his motion picture debut in The Aviator and will also appear in the upcoming film, Heights.
Discography
Albums
Contributions
- "I'm Running" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (1989)
- "Le Roi D'Ys" and "On the Banks of the Wabash" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture The Myth of Fingerprints (1997)
- "Instant Pleasure" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Big Daddy (1999, Sony)
- "Complainte de la Butte" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Moulin Rouge! (2001, Interscope)
- "Hallelujah" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Shrek (2001, Dreamworks)
- "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture Zoolander (2001, Hollywood Records)
- "Across the Universe" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture I Am Sam (2002, V2/BMG)
- "When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes" - When Love Speaks (2002, EMI Classics)
- "It's Only a Paper Moon" and "I Wonder What Became of Me" - Stormy Weather: The Music of Harold Arlen (2003, Sony)
- "I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise" - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture The Aviator (2004, Sony)
Awards and Nominations
Juno Awards:
- 1990 - Nominated, Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year
- 1999 - Won, Best Alternative Album, Rufus Wainwright
- 2000 - Nominated, Best Songwriter; "Poses," "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk," and "Grey Gardens"
- 2002 - Won, Best Alternative Album, Poses
Genie Awards:
- 1989 - Won, Best Original Song, "I'm Runnin'"
Other:
- 1999 - Won, Oustanding Music Album, GLAAD Media Awards
- 1999 - Won, Debut Album of the Year, Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards
- 2004 - Nominated, Shortlist Music Prize
External links
References
- Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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