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Los Angeles, CA 90034
P 424.603.4655
Jim Merlis
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Ken Weinstein
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Cory Council
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Tamara Simons
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Unfollow The Rules finds Rufus Wainwright at the peak of his powers, entering artistic maturity with passion, honesty and a new-found fearlessness, while remaining as mischievous as ever. Recorded in the same legendary Los Angeles studios as his landmark debut, his ninth album is both a bookend to Act 1 of an extraordinary career and a distillation of 21 years of experience at pop’s most flamboyant coal face.
Inspired by middle age, married life, fatherhood, friends, loss, London and Laurel Canyon, Unfollow The Rules captures Rufus at a crossroads. Ready to tackle new challenges, yet compelled to confront his past, he’s taking stock of two decades of running riot with rules, making sense of how he has matured as a musician and celebrating the contended family man he has become.
“At my age – 40s, we’ll say – you start to re-evaluate the past you’ve been shackled to for so long,” says Rufus. “You can’t walk away from it, discard everything and create a new life. You’re now too old to skip town.”
“Instead you have to go back and examine the forces that brought you here. In my case, that meant crawling through a minefield of drama, regret, wounds and so forth. To move forward required embracing those injuries, knowing that I’m in a good place now because of them, not despite them.”
That wisdom is reflected in twelve, spectacular songs, all classics from first listen which couldn’t have been written in any previous period of Rufus’s life. His years spent composing operas and classical music, his swerve in to singing Shakespeare sonnets, his hundreds of jaw-dropping concerts, his drive to persistently push the definition of pop to its limits and his happiness at home with his husband, Jorn, and his near eight year old daughter (the bright mind responsible for the album’s title) are among the experiences instrumental to the music.
“What I would like this album to symbolise is a coming together of all the aspects of my life which have made me a seasoned male artist,” says Rufus.
“My aim is to emulate the greats of yore whose second acts produced their finest work – Leonard Cohen when he made The Future, when Sinatra became Sinatra in his 40s, when Paul Simon put out Graceland.”
“Pop music isn’t always about your waistline. Many songwriters improve with age. I’m flying the flag for staying alive!”
The twelve songs, in fact, began as life lines. Written during a six-year, self-imposed exile from pop when Rufus was immersed in other projects, in particular his 2018 opera Hadrian, he retreated to songwriting to save his sanity and remind himself that making music should be fun.
“Songwriting became a real need,” says Rufus. “The classical world can be cold and stiff. It’s hard work, but also incredibly fulfilling. I wrote songs in order to stay alive artistically and saw the tricks I’d learnt from taking off on these major theatrical tangents seeping into the songs. It was a fortunate trade-off I hadn’t foreseen.”
The results of that trade-off are exquisite, yet unexpected. Unfollow The Rules may be a bookend to 1998’s Rufus Wainwright – which saw the musician hailed Best New Artist by Rolling Stone – recorded in historic studios with strings, woodwind and some of the world’s greatest session musicians, but sonically it’s Rufus at his most focussed and distilled.
Much of the album was recorded live, often in one take. There is no instrumental excess baggage. Rufus’ resplendent vocals are at both their soaring best and most exposed, throwing the focus on to his phrasing and allowing the melodies to unfold and take flight.
“For that I am indebted to the genius of my producer Mitchell Froom,” says Rufus. “He managed to execute this very rich, luscious, grand sound with sparsity and an incredibly light hand. I can’t thank him enough for giving me that gift – the gift of nothing! Hahaha.
“Mitchell opened my ears to what was really needed in terms of recording. My previous method was to throw everything at a piece and see what sticks. Do as many takes as you want and wait for happy accidents.
“I still love that way of working, but I’ve learnt that less can be best. Mitchell was parsimonious. One take would do. I’d ask for trombone and he’d wave me away.”
Largely recorded at Sound City Studios with a cast which included veterans from Rufus’s debut (notably drummer Jim Ketner), guitarist Blake Mills and pianist Randy Kerber, the sessions were unusually swift.
“I always intended to close this phase of my career as it began – making great songs with great musicians in great L.A. studios,” says Rufus. “That was the norm 20 years ago. Now the studios are temples on the verge of being destroyed.”
“Their richness and their warmth was what I wanted, not least now that I live in Laurel Canyon – I’ll happily suck up some of that glory! But being back was a reminder of the naïve youngster I once was. I spent three years in Ocean Way studios making my debut, burning through what I foolishly assumed was someone else’s money. This time we were there for one day and, arguably, got the same results.”
“What I love about this album is its intimacy. There aren’t 8000 orchestras, yet I’m excited. I’m longing to take it on tour. It’s my mantle – my coming out as a seasoned songwriter.”
“Others will be gone soon, so space is opening up for artists who have lasted in this business. Of course, I’m not the only one but I should be one of them.”
“Already I’m looking ahead, to the end of this era and the start of something completely different and really out there. More out there than before? You’ll have to wait and see.”
Career Highlights:
Praised by the New York Times for his “genuine originality,” Rufus Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists, songwriters and composers of his generation. The New York-born, Montreal-raised singer- songwriter has released seven studio albums to date with, three DVDs, and three live albums, including the fantastic Grammy nominated Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall.
Musically, Rufus has collaborated with artists including Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Robert Wilson, David Byrne, Boy George, Joni Mitchell, Pet Shop Boys, Heart, Robbie Williams, Jessye Norman, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Sting and producer Mark Ronson among many others.
Rufus has made a name for himself in the classical music world. His much acclaimed first opera, titled Prima Donna, premiered at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009 and was performed in London, New York, Paris, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong among others. Rufus’s second opera based on the story of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian and Antinous, premiered in October 2018 at the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto and won a Dora Award for Outstanding New Opera.
Rufus has also distinguished himself by playing original orchestrated pop songs, his orchestral settings of 5 Shakespeare Sonnets and pieces from an extensive classical repertoire with orchestras around the world such as the Chicago Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Residentie Orchestra, Orchestre National d’Île-de-France, the orchestra of the Teatro Real.
Rufus has appeared at many of the world’s greatest concert halls and festivals including Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera, Teatro Colon, Hollywood Bowl, the Elbphilharmonie, the Olympia, Glastonbury, Roskilde, and the Kennedy Honors.
Rufus has written and recorded songs for a wide variety of movies and TV shows including Brokeback Mountain, Shrek, Judy, Meet the Robinsons, The Aviator, Moulin Rouge and Boardwalk Empire.
Rufus and his sister Martha Wainwright continue the legacy of their mother, Canadian folk icon Kate McGarrigle, and raise funds for the Kate McGarrigle Fund funding sarcoma research and a music therapy program.
He is working on a number of film, podcast and musical projects and lives in Los Angeles with husband Jorn Weisbrodt and shares custody for his daughter Viva with her mother Lorca Cohen.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE FOR RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
FIRST TASTE OF FORTHCOMING ALBUM OUT NOW ON BMG
LISTEN TO “TROUBLE IN PARADISE” HERE
WATCH OFFICIAL AUDIO VISUALIZER HERE
Rufus Wainwright makes a most welcome return with the smart classic pop of brand new single “Trouble In Paradise.”
The song is full of firsts: his first with new producer Mitchell Froom on his new label BMG and his first new pop music since his 2012 Out of the Game album produced by Mark Ronson.
Not that Rufus has been idle these last 7 years, in fact he’s never been busier. He’s been traveling the globe touring, writing and recording operas and an elegant disc full of Shakespeare Sonnets. Last Easter he celebrated the 20th anniversary of his debut album with a sold out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall of biblical proportions that also featured most of his 2nd acclaimed record Poses. Similar US and European dates were warmly received.
That precocious debut was recorded in LA as has his forthcoming, eagerly anticipated new album. “As soon as I got to LA I realized I wanted to make another of those good, old-fashioned records,” Rufus says.
Meeting producer Mitchell Froom cemented the idea and the two set about creating what promises to be a highlight in a career full of them.
“Trouble In Paradise” is about the fashion world but also applies to the state of the planet. As for the music, Rufus says it has “a sense of sophistication and an animalistic instinct.”
He adds: “After the opera world and natural aging, I can now sing at the full power of my abilities, and this record really shows that off.”
From a man who regularly makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up with the sheer range and power of his voice, that’s one scary thought. You have been warned!
CONNECT:
# # #
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT EVOLVES INTO A NEW PERSONA, INSPIRED BY VOGUE’S ANNA WINTOUR
IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “TROUBLE IN PARADISE”
FIRST SINGLE OUT NOW FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM ON BMG
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
http://rufuc.lnk.to/TiPMusicVideo
Rufus Wainwright made waves in the industry last week when he debuted his latest single “Trouble in Paradise,” which Rolling Stone hailed as a “clever new pop romp.” Today, Rufus shares his music video for the track, in which he morphs into a new personality, inspired by Anna Wintour, the legendary mainstay Editor-in-Chief of Vogue.
The video makes for a clever visual, beautifully set in black and white, as the creator behind the music evolves from the fashion icon into another version of himself, offering a commentary on the many faces that we put up in order to deal with and manipulate reality.
Drum beats herald a romp through the inner mind of a bob-haired fashion doyenne on her drive from the town to the country. She reflects on the true price of glamour, and weighs its spiritual costs while eyeing her future legacy, and eternity. The music, a nod to solid pop rock production of previous classic LA era’s motors the listener on with both a sense of sophistication and an animalistic instinct.
“Trouble In Paradise” is about the fashion world but also applies to the state of the planet. According to Rufus, it has “a sense of sophistication and an animalistic instinct.”
He adds: “After the opera world and natural aging, I can now sing at the full power of my abilities, and this record really shows that off.”
The song is full of firsts: his first with new producer Mitchell Froom on his new label BMG and his first new pop music since his 2012 ‘Out of the Game’ album produced by Mark Ronson.
“Trouble In Paradise” is available to stream now on all digital streaming platforms.
Not that Rufus has been idle these last 7 years, in fact he’s never been busier. He’s been traveling the globe touring, writing and recording operas and an elegant disc full of Shakespeare Sonnets. Last Easter he celebrated the 20th anniversary of his debut album with a sold out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall of biblical proportions that also featured most of his 2nd acclaimed record ‘Poses’. Similar US and European dates were warmly received.
That precocious debut was recorded in LA as has his forthcoming, eagerly anticipated new album. “As soon as I got to LA I realised I wanted to make another of those good, old-fashioned records,” Rufus says.
Meeting producer Mitchell Froom cemented the idea and the two set about creating what promises to be a highlight in a career full of them.
Fans can expect more music to come, and in the meantime, keep their eyes peeled for Rufus’ most intimate video to date. Get ready for “Trouble In Paradise” – Vogue edition.
CONNECT:
# # #
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT TO RELEASE
NEW 7″ EP, COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER,
ON RECORD STORE DAY BLACK FRIDAY
TWO NEW COVERS AHEAD OF FORTHCOMING ALBUM VIA BMG
“It was a unifying moment, a glimmer of hope and an incredible testament to the reputation Wainwright deserves as a live performer.”
– Rolling Stone
“An exceptionally talented, effortless entertainer.”
– SPIN
Rufus Wainwright is set to release an A/B side 7″ EP, Come A Little Bit Closer, on November 29, Record Store Day Black Friday. The limited edition EP arrives ahead of Wainwright’s forthcoming 2020 album via BMG, and consists of two live performances of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” and Arcade Fire’s “Crown of Love.” Come A Little Bit Closer will be available exclusively at participating RSD Black Friday record stores, found here.
Wainwright recently made waves in the industry after debuting the new album’s first single and video, “Trouble in Paradise,” which Rolling Stone hailed as a “clever new pomp romp.”
WATCH “TROUBLE IN PARADISE”
COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
Harvest Moon (LIVE)
SIDE B
Crown of Love (LIVE)
# # #
About Rufus Wainwright:
Praised by the New York Times for his “genuine originality,” Rufus Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists, songwriters and composers of his generation. The New York-born, Montreal-raised singer songwriter has released seven studio albums to date with, three DVDs, and three live albums, including the fantastic Grammy nominated Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall.
Musically Rufus has collaborated with artists including Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Robert Wilson, David Byrne, Boy George, Joni Mitchell, Pet Shop Boys, Heart, Robbie Williams, Jessye Norman, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Sting and producer Mark Ronson among many others.
Rufus has made a name for himself in the classical music world. His much acclaimed first opera, titled Prima Donna, premiered at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009 and was performed in London, New York, Paris, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong among others. Rufus’ second opera based on the on the story of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and Antinous premiered in October 2018 at the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto and won a Dora Award for Outstanding New Opera.
Rufus has also distinguished himself by playing original orchestrated pop songs, his orchestral settings of 5 Shakespeare Sonnets and pieces from an extensive classical repertoire with orchestras around the world such as the Chicago Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Residentie Orchestra, Orchestre National de lIle de France, the orchestra of the Teatro Real.
He has appeared at many of the world’s greatest concert halls and festivals including Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera, Teatro Colon, Hollywood Bowl, the Elbphilharmonie, the Olympia, Glastonbury, Roskilde, and the Kennedy Honors
He has written and recorded songs for a wide variety of movies and TV shows including “Brokeback Mountain”, “Shrek”, “Judy”, “Meet the Robinsons”, “The Aviator”, “Moulin Rouge” and “Boardwalk Empire”.
He and his sister Martha Wainwright continue the legacy of their mother, Canadian folk icon Kate McGarrigle, and raise funds for the Kate McGarrigle Fund funding sarcoma research and a music therapy program.
He has completed a new studio pop album with LA based producer Mitchell Froom to be released globally with BMG in the spring of 2020. The album’s songs and production harken back to his explosive debut album that celebrates the sound and musical heritage of Los Angeles. He is working on a number of film, podcast and musical projects and lives in Los Angeles with husband Jorn Weisbrodt and shares custody for his daughter Viva with her mother Lorca Cohen.
# # #
CONNECT WITH RUFUS WAINWRIGHT:
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
# # #
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT UNVEILS UNFOLLOW THE RULES
MASTERFUL SINGER-SONGWRITER ANNOUNCES LONG AWAITED NEW POP ALBUM
STREAM NEW SINGLE, “DAMSEL IN DISTRESS”
PRE-ORDER UNFOLLOW THE RULES
UNFOLLOW THE RULES ARRIVES VIA BMG ON FRIDAY, APRIL 24
“Like the rarest and greatest artists, Rufus Wainwright captures life in all its reckless glory and painful beauty…sometimes even in a single song. Any Rufus fan knows this: as soon as you hear him, you can’t imagine a world without him.”
– Cameron Crowe
Singer-songwriter supreme Rufus Wainwright has announced the release of his long-awaited new album. UNFOLLOW THE RULES arrives via BMG on Friday, April 24; pre-orders are available now HERE.
PRE-ORDER UNFOLLOW THE RULES
UNFOLLOW THE RULES is heralded by today’s premiere of “Damsel In Distress,” available for streaming and download along with an official companion video, created by award-winning animator Josh Shaffner and streaming HERE.
“‘Damsel In Distress’ is an homage to Joni Mitchell in some ways,” says Wainwright, “particularly the structure. My husband and I now live in Laurel Canyon. I wasn’t that familiar with Joni’s music but Jörn became obsessed and took me on a journey into her music. We ended up hanging out with her and I get now why she’s one of the greats. So it’s part Laurel Canyon, part a song about a personal relationship that I’m trying to come to terms with, but mostly my Mitchell virginity being broken.”
STREAM “DAMSEL IN DISTRESS”
Wainwright’s ninth studio LP and first new pop album since 2012, UNFOLLOW THE RULES finds the artist at the peak of his powers, entering artistic maturity with passion, honesty, and a new-found fearlessness while remaining as creative, bold, and mischievous as ever. Produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Richard Thompson, Suzanne Vega, Randy Newman) at a variety of legendary Los Angeles studios – including Sound City Studios, United Recording, and EastWest Studios – the album serves as both bookend to Act I of an extraordinary career which, like Unfollow The Rules, began in the studios of Los Angeles, but also now as the first lines of a remarkable new chapter. Inspired by middle age, married life, fatherhood, friends, loss, London, and Laurel Canyon, songs like “Only The People That Love” and the spirited, symphonic “Hatred” find the gifted singer-songwriter ready to tackle new challenges, yet compelled to confront his past by making sense of how he has grown both as a musician and the contended family man he has become.
“What I would like this album to symbolize is a coming together of all the aspects of my life which have made me a seasoned artist,” says Wainwright. “My aim is to emulate the greats of yore whose second acts produced their finest work – Leonard Cohen when he made THE FUTURE, when Sinatra became Sinatra in his 40s, when Paul Simon put out GRACELAND. Pop music isn’t always about your waistline. Many songwriters improve with age. I’m flying the flag for staying alive!”
UNFOLLOW THE RULES was preceded late last year by the romping first single, “Trouble In Paradise,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services HERE. The rhythmically complex track arrived alongside a gender-blurring companion video, directed by award-winning Canadian photographer and filmmaker Mia Donovan and streaming now via YouTube. “Trouble In Paradise” was greeted by international media attention and unanimous critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone enthusing, “Over lush pop rock orchestration reminiscent of Billy Joel, Wainwright saunters through a vocal performance that lends a lavish edge to his wry lyrics.” “The new song dazzles, dances and blossoms into something altogether delightful,” declared Cool Hunting. “Wainwright fans will be pleased.” The Times of London hailed “Trouble In Paradise” for its “soaring harmonies and woozy romanticism,” while the Montreal Gazette simply raved, “steeped in lush, soulful harmonies and backed by slow, steady, country-tinged beat, it’s a classic Wainwright torch song,”
UNFOLLOW THE RULES has already been met with remarkable praise from some of Wainwright’s friends, fans, and fellow artists. “This is pop music on a grand scale; sweeping, symphonic, unabashedly emotional and fearlessly agnostic in style and delivery,” says Sting, while Cyndi Lauper described the album as “Rufus’ PET SOUNDS. It sounds like a culmination of everything he has done. It’s a great album, catchy and intelligent.”
Long applauded as an ingenious, compellingly charismatic live artist, Wainwright has slated a wide-ranging global tour schedule for 2020, including international headline dates, top-billed festival performances, and more. A full-scale North American headline tour will be announced soon. Tickets will be available for purchase starting on February 28 10 AM local time. For updates and additional information, please visit rufuswainwright.com/tour.
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
WORLD TOUR 2020
APRIL
19 – North Charleston, SC – High Water Festival *
24 – Bremen, Germany – Jazzahead Festival *
25 – Bourges, France – Festival de Printemps de Bourges
27 – London, United Kingdom – Islington Assembly Hall (Two shows) ^
MAY
1 – New York, NY – City Winery ^
2 – Huntington, NY – Paramount Theatre ^
3 – New York, NY – City Winery, NY ^
8 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore ^
9 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour (Two shows) ^
11 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up #
17 – Guadalajara, Mexico – Corona Capital *
30 – Kværndrup, Denmark – Heartland Festival *
JUNE
2 – Istanbul, Turkey – Zorlu PAC Jazz Festival *
JULY
4 – Caldas De Reis, Spain – PortAmérica *
5 – Madrid, Spain – Noches del Botanico *
7 – Oeiras Valley, Portugal – Festival Jardins do Marques *
14 – La Rochelle, France – Francofolies Festival *
18 – Echternach, Luxembourg – Echterlive *
AUGUST
1 – Glasgow, UK – Kelvingrove Park
2 – Co Waterford, Ireland – All Together Now *
NOVEMBER
6 – Paris, France @Grand Rex ^
* FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE
^ ON SALE FEBRUARY 28TH AT 10AM LOCAL TIME
# ON SALE FEBRUARY 28th AT 12PM LOCAL TIME
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT’S UPCOMING ALBUM
UNFOLLOW THE RULES MOVES RELEASE DATE TO JULY 10
The much-anticipated 9th studio album by Rufus Wainwright Unfollow The Rules has moved to July 10 by BMG. The warehouse housing the CD’s and vinyl for the album are shut down due to COVID-19. Part of a statement Wainwright posted on his socials reads, “You know that I am an old school guy and for me the physical product is extremely important. I am incredibly proud of this album and the way I want you to experience it ideally is listening to it from front to back in the comfort of your living room, reading the lyrics, and looking at the booklet that I carefully designed.”
Fans disappointed in the postponement, can take some solace in Wainwright’s daily IGTV Robe Recitals that can be viewed on his Instagram channel. The daily recordings consist of Wainwright favorites, plus some rarities and songs from Unfollow The Rules. Other plans are in the works for Wainwright to showcase his music to the public in a time when touring is not an option.
For Rufus Wainwright touring information: rufuswainwright.com/tour
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT HERALDS UNFOLLOW THE RULES
WITH “ALONE TIME”
SINGER-SONGWRITER SUPREME UNVEILS POWERFUL NEW SINGLE AND ANIMATED VIDEO
LONG AWAITED NEW POP ALBUM AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE
#QUARANTUNES #ROBERECITALS SERIES OF SOLO HOME PERFORMANCES PRESENTED DAILY ON INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK
UNFOLLOW THE RULES ARRIVES VIA BMG ON FRIDAY, JULY 10
“Like the rarest and greatest artists, Rufus Wainwright captures life in all its reckless glory and painful beauty…sometimes even in a single song. Any Rufus fan knows this: as soon as you hear him, you can’t imagine a world without him.” – Cameron Crowe
GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has unveiled the latest single from his eagerly anticipated new pop album, UNFOLLOW THE RULES. “Alone Time” is available now at all DSPs and streaming services; an official companion video, created by award-winning animator Josh Shaffner and featuring illustrations by Wainwright and Shaffner, is streaming HERE. UNFOLLOW THE RULES arrives via BMG on Friday, July 10; pre-orders are available now HERE.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD “ALONE TIME”
WATCH “ALONE TIME”
PRE-ORDER UNFOLLOW THE RULES
“‘Alone Time’ is the end title of my upcoming album, UNFOLLOW THE RULES,” says Wainwright, “an old school record that attempts to take the listener on a rich journey through the myriad of experiences of this thing we call ‘life.’ It is my belief that with everyone and everything, ultimately, all conclusions are about solitude and the acceptance of that fact, and that often this is a very beautiful realization. But today, in these dark times, I’m thinking a lot about the thousands of people who, due to COVID-19, are forced to experience intense isolation at the end of their days in order to save others, and the incredible fear that that must entail. This track is humbly dedicated to them; it is a wish of hope and a prayer for grace that they feel some sense of joy and comfort in knowing they are performing such an incredible act of sacrifice for humanity.”
Wainwright is offering fans further solace with his ongoing #Quarantunes series of #MusicalEverydays and #RobeRecitals, presented each day via his official Instagram HERE and Facebook HERE. The daily videos see the singer-songwriter supreme performing new songs from UNFOLLOW THE RULES alongside classic catalog favorites, surprising rarities, and beloved cover versions. Catch Rufus perform “Alone Time” on Instagram today at 10am PT/1pm ET.
An ingenious, compellingly charismatic live artist, Wainwright hopes to see his fans later this year on his epic UNFOLLOW THE RULES Tour, with worldwide headline dates and festival performances currently slated to begin this June and then continue into early November. For scheduled dates and other information, please visit rufuswainwright.com/tour.
Wainwright’s ninth studio LP and first new pop album since 2012, UNFOLLOW THE RULES finds the artist at the peak of his powers, entering artistic maturity with passion, honesty, and a new-found fearlessness while remaining as creative, bold, and mischievous as ever. Produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Richard Thompson, Suzanne Vega, Randy Newman) at a variety of legendary Los Angeles studios – including Sound City Studios, United Recording, and EastWest Studios – the album serves as both bookend to Act I of an extraordinary career which, like UNFOLLOW THE RULES, began in the studios of Los Angeles, but also now as the first lines of a remarkable new chapter. Inspired by middle age, married life, fatherhood, friends, loss, London, and Laurel Canyon, songs like “Only The People That Love” and the spirited, symphonic “Hatred” find the gifted singer-songwriter ready to tackle new challenges, yet compelled to confront his past by making sense of how he has grown both as a musician and the contended family man he has become.
UNFOLLOW THE RULES has already been met with remarkable praise from some of Wainwright’s friends, fans, and fellow artists. “This is pop music on a grand scale; sweeping, symphonic, unabashedly emotional and fearlessly agnostic in style and delivery,” says Sting, while Cyndi Lauper described the album as “Rufus’ PET SOUNDS. It sounds like a culmination of everything he has done. It’s a great album, catchy and intelligent.”
CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! INVITES YOU TO SING “ACROSS THE UNIVERSE” WITH RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
“Choir! Choir! Choir! has fashioned a profound way for people to connect and interact.”
– The New Yorker
Choir! Choir! Choir! and Rufus Wainwright invite singers from all around the world to help create an epic live video of the timeless classic “Across The Universe.”
Unveiled this morning, the open call asks singers to record themselves at home singing harmonies to The Beatles song, which was featured on their final album Let It Be in 1970. The submissions will be collected and edited together into a piece featuring Wainwright on lead vocals.
Choir! Choir! Choir! has uploaded two guide tracks (Part A – lower, Part B – higher) as well helpful instructions on their website to help guide participants through the process of recording their videos. Submissions are due by Friday, May 15 and can be uploaded directly via the same site.
“It’s really hard to watch your project be altered so dramatically in an instant. But can the virus keep us from singing together? NO! Choir! Choir! Choir! is all about creating community and building safe and creative spaces for people to enjoy so… if we can’t be together IRL, we can, and will, create some beautiful harmony to send out into the world with an epic crowd-sourced video,” says Choir! Choir! Choir! co-creative director, Nobu Adilman. “And who better to do this with than Rufus Wainwright? We’ve loved collaborating with him in the past, and have always loved his take on ‘Across The Universe.’ It’s a song we need right now, and, with Rufus on lead, and the world singing along, we can’t think of anything better!”
“Across the Universe has always been a special song to me. When Yoko asked me to perform it at Radio City Music Hall with her son Sean and Moby in 2011 raising funds for New Yorkers in the aftermath of 9/11, it sort of put me on the map,” says Rufus Wainwright. “It is eerie how the chorus ‘Nothing’s gonna change my world’ has taken a completely different meaning today. Because everything has changed for everyone in the world at the moment. I cannot imagine anything that has affected the entire world like this before, so that is why we want to create a version of this song where the entire world can participate. I have always enjoyed working with Daveed and Nobu in person and this digital collaboration is very exciting.”
Wainwright has been playing the song since the beginning of his career. His version was included in the movie I Am Sam.
This special video marks Choir! Choir! Choir!’s third collaboration with Rufus Wainwright. Their first was a 2016 performance of “Hallelujah” at the Hearn Generating Station in Toronto, ON as part of the Luminato Festival and resulted in a video that has garnered nearly 11 million views on YouTube. The second, a performance of the same song, took place at the 9/11 museum in New York to mark the end of the rescue and recovery mission. It was filmed by All Arts for Rescue Recovery and Healing: the 9/11 Memorial Glade Dedication, which is available to stream HERE.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Choir! Choir! Choir! creative directors Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman have been hosting weekly Choir!ntines live on their Facebook and YouTube garnering over a million views to date from all over the world. In April, the duo raised over $70,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society as part of a one hour “sing-a-thon” they hosted in support of the organization’s Daffodil Month.
Rufus Wainwright has been posting daily videos of his songs performed at his home in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles. He has published over 50 of these daily #roberecitals #quarantunes and, to date, they have been viewed more than 1 million times. He was also the first artist to launch the Royal Albert Hall’s #royalalberthome concert series and has lent his voice to many institutions raising money for COVID-19 relief.
About Choir! Choir! Choir!
Choir! Choir! Choir! is a Toronto-based singing group led by creative directors Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman. The duo takes a non-traditional approach; there are no auditions, and the audience is the choir. Just show up and they’ll teach you an original arrangement to a song you love. Choir! Choir! Choir! has amassed a dedicated and passionate community of singers and a thriving international fan base on YouTube amassing millions of views.
CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! ONLINE
Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
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WATCH RUFUS & MARTHA WAINWRIGHT PERFORM “HARD TIMES” WITH MCGARRIGLE FAMILY AND FRIENDS
SONG IS THE GRAND FINALE TO RUFUS’ #ROBERECITAL #QUARATUNES SERIES
(Photo credit: Tony Hauser)
Martha Wainwright and many members of the legendary McGarrigle family and other friends helped Rufus Wainwright end his critically lauded #Roberecital #Quaratunes Instagram series, with a rendition of Stephen Foster’s “Hard Times.”
Watch Rufus and Martha Wainwright performing “Hard Times”
Rufus posted: “From the whole McGarrigle family and I to you, we have a single prayer for all: Hard times, come again no more. Thank you everyone for joining together with me for this beautiful performance of this classic Stephen Foster folk song! I truly could not have asked for a better way to send this series off.”
For the past 60 days Rufus has been performing a song every day via his official Instagram, HERE and Facebook HERE. The daily videos saw the singer-songwriter supreme performing new songs from UNFOLLOW THE RULES alongside classic catalog favorites, surprising rarities, and beloved cover versions.
Today’s performance of “Hard Times,” features his sister Martha Wainwright along with family and friends including:
Anna Mcgarrigle
Jane Mcgarrigle
Lily Lanken
Sylvan Lanken
Vinny Dow
Patrick Ferris
Gigi and Islay Mac Millan
Kathleen Weldon
And a couple of babies.
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RUFUS WAINWRIGHT CELEBRATES NEW POP ALBUM
WITH BEHIND-THE-SCENES DOCUMENTARY
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNMAKING UNFOLLOW THE RULES
PREMIERES TODAY at 1 PM ET VIA WORLD CAFE / NPR MUSIC
SPECIAL Q&A WITH WAINWRIGHT HOSTED BY RAINA DOURIS TO ACCOMPANY PREMIERE
LONG AWAITED NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE
UNFOLLOW THE RULES ARRIVES VIA BMG ON FRIDAY, JULY 10
GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has announced the premiere of RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNMAKING UNFOLLOW THE RULES, a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the extraordinary creation of his eagerly anticipated new album. The short film debuts, directed by Jeff Richter of Earthquake Productions (Guns N Roses, Lenny Kravitz, De La Soul) today at 1 pm ET, exclusively from WXPN’s World Cafe via NPR Live Sessions HERE. In addition, today’s premiere will be accompanied by a special Q&A with Wainwright. UNFOLLOW THE RULES arrives via BMG on Friday, July 10; pre-orders are available now HERE.
WATCH RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNMAKING UNFOLLOW THE RULES
Wainwright’s ninth studio LP and first new pop album since 2012, UNFOLLOW THE RULES finds the artist at the peak of his powers, entering artistic maturity with passion, honesty, and a new-found fearlessness while remaining as creative, bold, and mischievous as ever. Produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Richard Thompson, Suzanne Vega, Randy Newman) at a variety of legendary Los Angeles studios – including Sound City Studios, United Recording, and EastWest Studios – the album serves as both bookend to Act I of an extraordinary career which, like UNFOLLOW THE RULES, began in the studios of Los Angeles, but also now as the first lines of a remarkable new chapter. Inspired by middle age, married life, fatherhood, friends, loss, London, and Laurel Canyon, songs like the acclaimed single, “Damsel In Distress” and the powerful, album-closing “Alone Time” find the gifted singer-songwriter ready to tackle new challenges, yet compelled to confront his past by making sense of how he has grown both as a musician and the contended family man he has become.
UNFOLLOW THE RULES has already been met with remarkable praise from some of Wainwright’s friends, fans, and fellow artists. “This is pop music on a grand scale; sweeping, symphonic, unabashedly emotional and fearlessly agnostic in style and delivery,” says Sting, while Cyndi Lauper described the album as “Rufus’ PET SOUNDS. It sounds like a culmination of everything he has done. It’s a great album, catchy and intelligent.”
An ingenious, compellingly charismatic live artist, Wainwright hopes to see his fans later this year on his epic UNFOLLOW THE RULES Tour. For scheduled dates and other information, please visit rufuswainwright.com/tour.
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RUFUS WAINWRIGHT SHARES VIDEO FOR “YOU AIN’T BIG”
NEW SONG FROM UPCOMING ALBUM UNFOLLOW THE RULES
LISTEN: https://rufus.lnk.to/YouAintBig
WATCH: smarturl.it/YouAintBig-Video
UNFOLLOW THE RULES TO BE RELEASED JULY 10
SINGER ALSO SHARES BEHIND-THE-SCENES DOCUMENTARY
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNMAKINGUNFOLLOW THE RULES ON YOUTUBE
WILL BE A GUEST ON PUBLIC RADIO’S LIVE FROM HERE WITH CHRIS THILE ON JUNE 13
PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE HERE:
https://rufus.lnk.to/UnfollowTheRules
GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has shared a video for “You Ain’t Big” a song off his highly anticipated upcoming album Unfollow The Rules, out July 10 through BMG.
WATCH “YOU AIN’T BIG” HERE
Wainwright says of the song and video:
“I originally wrote the song “You Ain’t Big” about the strange fact that in the music business worldwide until recently (our estimation has fallen considerably) no matter how well you’ve done anywhere else, if you couldn’t make it in the heartland of the US you weren’t really considered a true star. Think Little Richard, Elvis, the Beatles and Julio Iglesias. However, in releasing this song now which references states such as Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas (where I have had the pleasure of playing shows) and even New York and California, all troubled places during this tremendously turbulent time nationwide, the term “You Ain’t Big” has taken on additional meanings. The song at heart is apolitical. Its vintage sound harkens back to the classical American country music sound of the 40s and 50s and with the help of opposing images in the video of how different life was for white people compared to black people in the 1950’s, as it has sadly remained, I think it rings appropriate for this time and professes a certain truth.”
In addition to the video Rufus has made available on his YouTube channel RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: UNMAKING UNFOLLOW THE RULES, a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the extraordinary creation of his eagerly anticipated new album. The short film, directed by Jeff Richter of Earthquake Productions (Guns N Roses, Lenny Kravitz, De La Soul) features intimate interviews and discussions with Mitchell Froom, David Boucher, Petra Haden, Jim Keltner, Blake Mills, Rob Moose, David Piltch, and Rufus Wainwright.
Also Rufus Wainwright will be a guest on public radio’s Live From Here With Chris Thile on June 13 at 6 PM. For further information go here
Wainwright’s ninth studio LP and first new pop album since 2012, UNFOLLOW THE RULES finds the artist at the peak of his powers, entering artistic maturity with passion, honesty, and a new-found fearlessness while remaining as creative, bold, and mischievous as ever. Produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney, Richard Thompson, Suzanne Vega, Randy Newman) at a variety of legendary Los Angeles studios – including Sound City Studios, United Recording, and EastWest Studios – the album serves as both bookend to Act I of an extraordinary career which, like UNFOLLOW THE RULES, began in the studios of Los Angeles, but also now as the first lines of a remarkable new chapter. Inspired by middle age, married life, fatherhood, friends, loss, London, and Laurel Canyon, songs like the acclaimed single, “Damsel In Distress” and the powerful, album-closing “Alone Time” find the gifted singer-songwriter ready to tackle new challenges, yet compelled to confront his past by making sense of how he has grown both as a musician and the contended family man he has become.
UNFOLLOW THE RULES has already been met already remarkable praise from the critics, Mojo raving in a 4-star review, “it is a relief to see Wainwright honouring his formidable songwriting talents with songs as luscious as those on Poses or Want One.” And some of his recording brethren weighing in as well. “This is pop music on a grand scale; sweeping, symphonic, unabashedly emotional and fearlessly agnostic in style and delivery,” says Sting, while Cyndi Lauper described the album as “Rufus’ PET SOUNDS. It sounds like a culmination of everything he has done. It’s a great album, catchy and intelligent.”
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ALL ARTS and ARTE CONCERT PRESENTS:
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT’s UNFOLLOW THE RULES: THE PARAMOUR SESSION
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT ANNOUNCES LIVESTREAM CONCERT PARAMOUR SESSION
CONCERT INCLUDES THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED UPCOMING ALBUM, UNFOLLOW THE RULES,
TO BE PLAYED IN ITS ENTIRETY PLUS OTHER SONGS
CONCERT TO TAKE PLACE IN THE BALLROOM OF THE HISTORIC PARAMOUR ESTATE IN LOS ANGELES’ SILVERLAKE DISTRICT
Today GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright announces Unfollow the Rules: The Paramour Session, a concert that will be livestreamed on Saturday, June 27 at 2pm EST / 8pm CET.
The livestream will premiere in Germany and France on ARTE Concert and ARTE Concert’s Facebook and ALL ARTS’ Facebook for the U.S. and all other territories. ARTE’s stream of the concert will be available as VOD for 90 days. The livestream will also be accessible via Rufus Wainwright’s Official Facebook.
Rufus will perform acoustically, with a socially distanced string section, piano and guitar to accompany him, in the ballroom of LA’s Paramour Mansion, former home of silent film star Antonio Moreno. The concert will feature Rufus’ upcoming album Unfollow the Rules in its entirety plus some additional songs from Wainwright’s existing repertoire and some new compositions, one of them written during and reflecting on the lockdown period reflecting.
To commemorate the album’s release on July 10, the TV broadcast of Rufus Wainwright’s Unfollow the Rules: The Paramour Session, will be available for viewing in the U.S. starting at 5pm PST / 8pm EST on the ALL ARTS broadcast channel, free streaming app and allarts.org.
Details for ARTE’s TV broadcast for Germany and France will be announced soon.
Rufus Wainwright has released this statement regarding the concert:
“The Paramour Session will show a completely different side of Unfollow the Rules. Acoustic, stripped back, sparser, but. in a Rufus Wainwrightian sense of course. Good songs can survive in many different environments. I want my fans to have an opportunity to hear the music live when the album comes out. The only way we can do this responsibly during these times is with acoustic instruments, and fewer musicians in a large space, where everyone can be 6 feet or more apart, with a super small crew. Rather than attempting to imitate the sound of the album I think it’s both more responsible and more creatively interesting to try something new. There are no drums, no effects, no bass, no horns, no flutes, no back-up vocals — only strings that are bowed, picked, hammered, or strummed, and my voice. Let’s hope less is more. Of course, it helps that we are filming and live streaming this from the gorgeous ballroom of the Paramour Estate, a 1920s Hollywood silent film star’s mansion.”
UNFOLLOW THE RULES has already been met with remarkable praise from some of Wainwright’s friends, fans, and fellow artists. “This is pop music on a grand scale; sweeping, symphonic, unabashedly emotional and fearlessly agnostic in style and delivery,” says Sting, while Cyndi Lauper described the album as “Rufus’ PET SOUNDS. It sounds like a culmination of everything he has done. It’s a great album, catchy and intelligent.”
The band will consist of:
Brian Green, guitar and music director
Jacob Mann, piano and celeste
Rebecca Schlappich Charles, violin
Eliza James, violin
Jayna Chou, viola
Danica Pinner, cello
About ARTE
ARTE (Association relative à la télévision européenne) is a European free-to-air television network that promotes cultural programming. It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE GEIE, plus two member companies acting as editorial and programme production centres, ARTE France in Paris (France) and ARTE Deutschland in Baden-Baden (Germany). As an international joint venture (an EEIG), its programmes focuses to audiences in both countries. For more: https://www.arte.tv/en/arte-concert/
About ALL ARTS
ALL ARTS is breaking new ground as the premier destination for inspiration, creativity and art of all forms. This New York Emmy-nominated arts and culture hub is created by WNET, the parent company of New York’s PBS stations. With the aim of being accessible to viewers everywhere, ALL ARTS’s Webby-nominated programming – from digital shorts to feature films – is available online nationwide through allarts.org, the free ALL ARTS app on all major streaming platforms, and @AllArtsTV on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. New York area TV viewers can also watch the 24/7 broadcast channel. For all the ways to watch, visit allarts.org/everywhere.
Leadership support for ALL ARTS is generously provided by Jody and John Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Rosalind P. Walter, and The Agnes Varis Trust.
PRE-ORDER UNFOLLOW THE RULES HERE:
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