Canadian-American singer-songwriter and composer known for ornate, orchestral pop and a distinctive voice. Son of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. Debut album 'Rufus Wainwright' (1998); notable albums include Poses, Want One/Two, Release The Stars and Out Of The Game.

Grew up in a musical family (father Loudon Wainwright III; mother Kate McGarrigle). Reviews note his cover of "Across the Universe" on the I Am Sam soundtrack and that he appears as the young pianist in The Aviator. Widely noted for lush orchestrations and a memorable vocal timbre.

DeBaser's reviews present Rufus Wainwright as a melodist with a distinctive, memorable voice and a taste for baroque/orchestral arrangements. Albums like Poses, Want One and Want Two are frequently praised; later records receive more mixed reactions. The overall view: ambitious, ornate songwriting that divides listeners.

For:Fans of ornate pop, chamber/baroque pop, singer-songwriters and readers of DeBaser

 His voice is unmistakable, it is a particular timbre, sweet, powerful, often almost a lament; after the first listen, it is impossible to forget it.

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 When it comes down to it, RW is a one-note artist who has based his career on repetition and excellent image management, one of many symbols of an era of "regression," chasing old styles without the inspiration and spontaneity of the originals.

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 "Old Whore's Diet" is the emblem of modern apathetic decadence, where depression or loneliness leads the individual to eat at indecent hours, perhaps with leftover Chinese food from two days before; the "old whore's diet" becomes the emblem of this state of mind.

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