Rufus Wainwright speaks out against Donald Trump playing ‘Hallelujah’ at rally: “The height of blasphemy”

nme.com:

Rufus Wainwright has spoken out against Donald Trump using his cover of Leonard Cohen‘s ‘Hallelujah’ at a campaign rally, labelling it “the height of blasphemy”.Trump’s Town Hall on Monday (October 14) took a turn for the unexpected earlier, as he was seen dancing along to music for 30 minutes.

The event was reportedly interrupted by medical emergencies multiple times – something outlets such as Consequence have reported as being due to the warm temperatures inside the venue.As it progressed, the former POTUS and current Republican party leader eventually stopped answering political questions, and instead hosted a 30-minute listening party using songs from his personal playlist.

This included Sinead O’Connor’s version of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – which was reportedly played despite the singer’s estate issuing a cease and desist order to the politician for using the song at his rallies.Also played was Guns N’ Roses classic ‘November Rain’, which was broadcast at the town hall despite the band’s frontman Axl Rose repeatedly criticising Trump on social media, along with tracks by James Brown, Elvis Presley, and Wainwright with his cover of ‘Hallelujah’.Wainwright has since issued a press release denouncing the use of his recorded track: “The song ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen has become an anthem dedicated to peace, love and acceptance of the truth,” he states. “I’ve been supremely honored over the years to be connected with this ode to tolerance.