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Rufus Wainwright speaks with Kyle Meredith about Unfollow The Rules, his first set of pop songs since 2012’s Out of the Game. The two discuss what he’s brought back to the genre, after spending the decade in classical and Shakespearian sonnets, and how he sees this as his second act with parallels to Leonard Cohen and Frank Sinatra’s late-career releases.
Wainwright, who now lives in Los Angeles, also talks about the magic and history of Laurel Canyon, and its inspiration on the new songs, befriending and paying homage to Joni Mitchell, and how his many famous friends would make for a fine dinner party. The singer-songwriter also gives us a taste of what could come next, which involves a hard left turn from this current sound, and possibly a concentration on all things French.
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Kyle Meredith With… is an interview series in which WFPK’s Kyle Meredith speaks to a wide breadth of musicians. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Meredith digs deep into the artist’s work to find out how the music is made and where their journey is going, from legendary artists like Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, U2 and Bryan Ferry, to the newer class of The National, St. Vincent, Arctic Monkeys, Haim, and Father John Misty.
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Rufus Wainwright on What He’s Bringing to Pop Music
Michael Roffman
