I’m definitely a fan of juxtaposition. Using the most beautiful line to say the most horrific thing – I think one of the main things in songwriting is definitely friction between the words and the melody. – Rufus Wainwright
I have this horrible, horrible habit of going on YouTube and checking out comments about what I do. – Rufus Wainwright
There’s prejudice everywhere. I don’t think the music industry is as bad as the movie industry. But I have taken a few hits over the years for my sexuality, and for being honest about my life. In the end, it’s the music that rules the roost. – Rufus Wainwright
You know the question: ‘How do you get to Carnegie Hall?’ Answer: ‘Practise?’ Well, in my case, I got there by not practising. I didn’t finish my music degree. And when I got into the pop world, I decided not to conform because I figured that the point of being an artist was that you shouldn’t be like anyone else. – Rufus Wainwright
Arguably, the relationship between Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland is one of the great mother-daughter sagas of all time. Certainly, for certain people, and a lot of them, Liza is the bigger star. Liza is the more kind of viable legend, shall we say. Then there’s the other camp, where Judy is the one. – Rufus Wainwright
Why be in music, why write songs, if you can’t use them to explore life or an idealized vision of life? I believe a lot of our lives are spent asleep, and what I’ve been trying to do is hold on to those moments when a little spark cuts through the fog and nudges you. – Rufus Wainwright
I’ve always gravitated towards opera, and the Royal Opera House is quite possibly the greatest opera house on earth. – Rufus Wainwright
I find so many songwriters today are missing an element… either the production is amazing but the songs aren’t, or it’s the other way around. – Rufus Wainwright
Some people go to Berlin to get more cutting edge; I went and started wearing lederhosen and going to visit baroque palaces. – Rufus Wainwright
I definitely consider ‘Poses’ – the whole album in fact – to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment when decadence is healthy, ‘Poses’ encapsulates that feeling. It’s a kind of song and a kind of album that I’ll never be able to repeat. – Rufus Wainwright
I still believe that love is the most powerful force in the world, even though I am yet to experience it fully. – Rufus Wainwright
The artist who gave me the most inspiration and direction, especially as a singer – and I absolutely consider myself a singer, 100 percent – is Nina Simone. She’s my ultimate pianist-singer-type person. – Rufus Wainwright
My mother’s songs are really turning out to be masterpieces. I have inherited this incredible legacy and am so fortunate to bathe in her sensibilities. It is tinged with tragedy. I’d much rather she was here in person, but there is still a positive force to come out of her death and that is having the gift of music that she gave. – Rufus Wainwright
I’ve had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense – in America, especially – that once you’ve made your mark and gotten your Rolling Stone piece and your Grammy nomination, that they’re on to the next piece of meat, and they don’t necessarily like to follow the twists and turns of an artistic career. – Rufus Wainwright
The thing I hate most is false modesty. The artists who are, like, ‘Oh, you know, I’m really not that good. Oh, I can’t believe I’m here.’ I find it vaguely sinister, even. – Rufus Wainwright
When I’m in the classical world, I really treat it as exactly classical and I don’t try and spruce it up or jazz it up or make it easier for the masses. – Rufus Wainwright
I’ve developed into quite a swan. I’m one of those people that will probably look better and better as I get older until I drop dead of beauty. – Rufus Wainwright
You get to a certain age, and you feel the need to reward yourself just for existing. – Rufus Wainwright
I’m very much a romantic. I’m highly attuned to an older sensibility, which I believe is alive and well. We’re not that far ahead of the Romantic Age in society. – Rufus Wainwright
There is this church that I go to a lot in New York. I’m not religious but I love lighting candles and stuff. I find it useful. – Rufus Wainwright
Every video I do is over budget by the time I walk on set. I am massively extravagant in my personal habits. – Rufus Wainwright
I may not lead the most dramatic life, but in my brain it’s ‘War and Peace’ everyday. – Rufus Wainwright
When it came to using elements of your personal life in your work, my mother was the master, or the mistress. There were three or four songs she wrote about my father – songs about failed love. – Rufus Wainwright
I think I’ve done a pretty fantastic job, but of course I want to sell millions of records. – Rufus Wainwright
