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Rufus Wainwright Announces First New Pop Album in Eight Years Unfollow The Rules for April 2020 Release

American-Canadian singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright has announced his first album in four years (and his first pop album in eight years) titled Unfollow The Rules. The album is set to drop in two months on April 24th.

“What I would like this album to symbolize is a coming together of all the aspects of my life which have made me a seasoned artist,” stated Wainwright about the album. “My aim is to emulate the greats of yore whose second acts produced their finest work – Leonard Cohen when he made The Future, when Sinatra became Sinatra in his 40s, when Paul Simon put out Graceland. Pop music isn’t always about your waistline. Many songwriters improve with age. I’m flying the flag for staying alive!”

In addition to the album announcement, Wainwright released the first single of the album “Damsel In Distress,” an acoustically driven ode to his time with former lover Jodi Mitchell. “[The song] is part Laurel Canyon, part a song about a personal relationship that I’m trying to come to terms with,” stated Wainwright about the tune.

Those close to Wainwright who have heard the album have already praised the symphonic-pop driven theme of the work. “This is pop music on a grand scale; sweeping, symphonic, unabashedly emotional and fearlessly agnostic in style and delivery,” says Sting, while Cyndi Lauper described the album as “Rufus’ Pet Sounds. It sounds like a culmination of everything he has done. It’s a great album, catchy and intelligent.” Wainwright is set to perform at Corona Capital music festival in Guadalajara, as well as High Water festival in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Check out the cover art and track list for Unfollow The Rules, and listen to Rufus Wainwright’s first single off of the album, “Damsel In Distress” below:

Unfollow The Rules Track List:

ACT I

  1. Trouble in Paradise
  2. Damsel in Distress
  3. Unfollow The Rules
  4. You Ain’t Big

ACT II

  1. Romantical Man
  2. Peaceful Afternoon
  3. Only The People That Love
  4. This One’s For The Ladies (That Lunge)

ACT III

  1. My Little You
  2. Early Morning Madness
  3. Hatred
  4. Alone Time
Rufus Wainwright
Drew Feinerman: I have just completed my senior at the University of Michigan majoring in international studies with an emphasis in political economics and development, with a minor in Chinese language and culture, and I have recently been accepted into the Berklee School of Music's masters of music business program. Although my academic interests include economics, political science, and history, I consider music to be my one true passion. Music is, and has always been, a driving force for the way I think and act every day of my life. I have been playing the tenor saxophone since the age of ten, and playing an instrument at a high level has allowed me to only further my understanding and appreciation for music. While I grew up listening to predominantly classic rock, I soon found myself gravitating toward jazz, hip-hop, funk, and other genres, as my learned to both play and analyze music as a listener. As a writer, I am able to apply my skills both as a musician and a listener, and look forward to the opportunity to being able to express my thoughts on various stories in the music industry.
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