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BEING born into music royalty, the importance of being an open, honest performer was ingrained at an early age for Rufus Wainwright.

Despite acknowledging his career and life may have taken a different, more successful path if he hadn鈥檛 been so honest, the American-born, Canadian-raised singer/songwriter wouldn鈥檛 have done it any other way.

Wainwright made the choice to be open about his sexuality early in his career 鈥� a decision he said cost him a certain amount of professional success.

鈥淭here was a kind of backlash in terms of some major television spots and budgets for videos and things that especially at a certain time in your life, when you鈥檙e very, very young and you鈥檙e on top of the world, are incredibly important,鈥� he said.

鈥淗owever, I was able to create my own career and did very well for myself and I鈥檓 happy with the route that I took… I think I possibly would have made more money initially but would have spent that on drugs and alcohol. I would have been a much unhappier person.鈥�

Wainwright said he had no control over his need to be himself.

鈥淚 had no choice about it,鈥� he argued.

鈥淚 was so horny and I knew exactly what I wanted and it doesn鈥檛 seem possible now to have been any other way. I鈥檝e always been very drawn by my passions and by my romantic sensibilities. I couldn鈥檛 imagine being any other way.鈥�

Coming from a musical family 鈥� his father is folk singer Loudon Wainwright III, his late mother Kate McGarrigle and sister Martha Wainwright 鈥� artistic freedom was highly regarded.

However, Wainwright said that on a personal level, his parents initially struggled with his sexuality.

鈥淏oth my parents I have to say were not great when I came out of the closet. They were ill-equipped [to deal with the news] and also at that time AIDS was very prevalent, and to them being gay was a death sentence. I don鈥檛 really blame them,鈥� he explained.

鈥淏ut on an artistic one they were incredible and really encouraged both my sister and me to be unique. That was the most important thing; to be utterly different than anything out there.鈥�

Being an openly-gay artist has attracted a sizeable LGBTI fanbase 鈥� one that will no doubt flock to his upcoming tour of Australia. However, Wainwright faced some negative feedback over comments he made last year about gay men having 鈥渢errible taste in music鈥�.

鈥淭he feedback that I鈥檝e had from those people who are thoughtful and wise and are slightly a little more experienced in the world, and perhaps also remember another time when the bar was set a little higher, I got a big thank you,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 certainly don鈥檛 think that every gay man has bad taste in music, and if some people are just going to read a headline and that鈥檚 it, so be it. I can鈥檛 reason with them.

鈥淚 stand by it in a sense but also people have got to realise it was tongue-in-cheek as well.鈥�

Wainright added that it was a discussion he鈥檇 鈥渓ove to get into further鈥�.

鈥淏ut it seems the minute you want to talk about it, they鈥檙e off to the club,鈥� he joked.

A 2013 collaboration with Robbie Williams that purposefully flirted with long-standing gay rumours about Williams achieved widespread attention, and Wainwright spoke of his adoration for the singer.

鈥淒oing that duet was amazing. I recorded (the eponymous) song with him for Swings Both Ways and we wrote it together, and we鈥檝e since written a few other songs,鈥� he said.

鈥淗e is one of the most generous and kind and down-to-earth people you鈥檝e ever met as well as being heartbreakingly straight. He鈥檚 so straight that he isn鈥檛 afraid to be gay. It鈥檚 just one of those terrible, terrible things… it鈥檚 kind of a double-edged penis,鈥� he joked.

鈥淗e had been a fan of mine for years and it was really through [Williams鈥� writing partner] Guy Chambers that brought us together. It was meant to be.鈥�

Wainwright鈥檚 tour starts off in Perth on March 2 and his Sydney dates will have him in town around the time of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival.

鈥淚鈥檒l see when I get around if I鈥檓 able to go to any of the events. I鈥檓 doing certain shows in Sydney then I have a couple of days off,鈥� he said.

鈥淪o it seems I may have a few holes in my schedule… I may have a few holes in my future. I apologise, that was disgusting.鈥�

Nonetheless, his final Australian show in Brisbane is also the end of his current global tour.

鈥淸Australian audiences] are incredible, I can honestly say that with this latest album that I鈥檓 touring with, after doing America and Europe, I knew it was necessary that I come to Australia and end the tour there,鈥� he said.

鈥淎ustralia has been so supportive for so long and I鈥檓 always renewed and reenergised and reinvigorated by your wonderful country. It gives me strength so thank you, I can鈥檛 wait to be there.鈥�

For details and tickets on Rufus Wainright鈥檚 Australian tour, which聽includes dates in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane between聽March 2-12,

**This article was first published in the March聽edition of the 17c起草社区, which is . To obtain a physical copy, to find out where you can grab one in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and select regional/coastal areas.