Rufus Wainwright Singer Biography

A critically acclaimed and commercially accomplished singer/songwriter, it hasn’t always been easy going for Rufus Wainwright. His past includes coming to terms with his homosexuality, sexual abuse, and a near crippling addiction to narcotics.

Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright was born July 22, 1973 in Rhinebeck, New York. Surrounded by music from an early age, his parents were folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. When they divorced, the young Wainwright moved to Montreal with his mother. He graduated from Millbrook School and went on to study music at both Concordia and McGill Universities. As early as his adolescence, Wainwright was forthcoming and open about his homosexuality.

Personal tragedy struck, however, when Wainwright was only fourteen. After meeting a man in London and taking a walk through Hyde Park, the man raped, robbed, and began strangling him. Wainwright faked an epileptic seizure in order to scare the man away. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, Wainwright was terrified he contracted the disease. He remained celibate for the next seven years while he recovered from the emotional trauma.

In the midst of this struggle, Wainwright made his first move toward stardom. He composed an original song for the film Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveler (1988), which earned him a Genie Award nomination.

Just two years later, he earned a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Male Vocalist. He spent the better half of the next decade honing his sound and studying his influences, namely opera and powerhouse voices such as Judy Garland.

Wainwright’s self-titled debut album came in 1998 after a move to New York City and a subsequent move to Los Angeles. The album was a massive critical success, earning Wainwright the title of “Best New Artist” by Rolling Stone. He also toured with Sean Lennon (son of Beatle’s great John Lennon) in 1998.

His second album, Poses, debuted in 2001 to more rave reviews, although ultimately tepid sales. In an attempt to boost these numbers, Wainwright continued with the touring schedule, which included stars Tori Amos, Guster, Bend Folds, and Sting.

Personal problems, however, continued to plague him. He developed a crystal meth addiction in 2000, which grew so bad he temporarily lost his vision. Unsure of where to turn, he sought the advice of friend Elton John. Upon his advice, Wainwright entered rehab. Currently, he is tightlipped about his sobriety or lack thereof.

Feeling the pain of young, drug-addicted stars, Wainwright’s song, “Matinee Idol,” was dedicated to River Phoenix whose life was tragically cut short by drugs.

Wainwright is currently working on an opera entitled Prima Donna.

Other endeavors include cameo roles in two feature films—The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, and Kate Beckinsale as well as Heights with Glenn Close, Jesse Bradford, and Elizabeth Banks.