Rufus Wainwright says there is one positive side to having Donald Trump in power, even if he is not a fan of the US president – good music.
The Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and composer, 44, said that Trump’s detractors in the US have “only just got out of the shock stage”.
But, he said, when “everything’s in flux, that does traditionally translate into good art and good music and a need for depth and perspective.
Europe! Get ready for the #ALLTHESEPOSEStour 😃😃 Pre-sale Monday June 25 @ 10am local & public on-sale Wednesday June 27 @ 10am local. See you in 2019! Lookout for the VIP packages! https://t.co/c984hPKfDA pic.twitter.com/2oW7y66YcI
— Rufus Wainwright (@rufuswainwright) June 22, 2018
“I’m hopeful that people will turn to art and culture… That’s the only positive part. I’m getting a sense… that people are in need of solace,” he told the Press Association, describing the administration as “horrifying”.
Wainwright, 44, will play four UK dates in April next year to mark the 20th anniversary of his eponymous debut.
He described the UK as “arguably one of the great bastions of music on all fronts, whether it’s pop music, rock, classical”.
And he said of UK pop stars: “As people they seem incredibly normal, everyday, whereas in the United States so many of the celebrities and music people are these sort of strange aliens that are invading the subconscious.”
The Grammy-nominated singer will perform next year at the Royal Albert Hall in London (April 21), the Symphony Hall in Birmingham (April 22), Bridgewater Hall in Manchester (April 24) and Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow (April 25).