Rufus Wainwright is the latest victim of the use of his music at a Donald Trump rally. His version of ‘Hallelujah’, an original song by Leonard Cohen, was played during a Trump campaign event held in Pennsylvania, and Wainwright was “mortified” by the situation. In his opinion, it is “the height of blasphemy.”
In a statement, Wainwright criticizes Trump’s use of ‘Hallelujah’ and reasons that the song’s lyrics do not align with the values or policies promoted by the Republican candidate.
“The song has become an anthem dedicated to peace, love and the acceptance of truth,” Wainwright writes in his message. «Over the years I have felt tremendously honored to be connected to this ode to tolerance, and seeing Trump and his followers commune with this music seems to me to be the height of blasphemy. Of course, I don’t agree with this situation at all and I feel mortified. “However, the good person in me hopes that, perhaps, by listening to the lyrics of ‘Hallelujah,’ Trump can feel a glimmer of remorse for what he has caused.”
In the text, Wainwright reports that Leonard Cohen’s publisher has taken legal action over Trump’s use of ‘Hallelujah’ by ordering the Trump campaign to cease and desist.
Wainwright is the latest artist to have problems with Trump and to publicly criticize the use of his music in the Republican campaign, after Beyoncé, ABBA, Foo Fighters and Céline Dion. In the message, Wainwright officially endorses Kamala Harris.
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