Joan on Rufus

Wainwright appears on new JAPW album

18 April 08 - Joan Wasser says she was trying to make Rufus Wainwright uncomfortable for his appearance on the new Joan As Police Woman album, To Survive.

Rufus sings a duet with Joan on the final track of the record, called To America, repaying a favour to the musician who has played on many of his records, and toured with his band.

And Joan exclusively told 6 Music the track was designed to meet his tastes:

"I wrote it for him and I to sing. I had his voice, him, in mind. Y'know he's a huge fan of opera and so I wanted to make it sort of like an aria, singing to each other. He sounds incredible, of course."

But while she may have written the song in a style he likes, Joan says she was also keen to stretch him vocally:

"I wrote it really high in his range, because I just love how he sounds when he's uncomfortable in his voice.

"I just love how he sounds when he's uncomfortable in his voice."
Joan Wasser on Rufus Wainwright

"He's such a fabulous singer - we all know what Rufus Wainwright sounds like when he's comfortable, I just like it when it's just a little bit difficult, 'cause that's when more emotion comes out."

And she says she owed it to him to stretch him a little:

"Well he certainly pushed me in a lot of directions, positively. He really taught me a lot about singing, so now I’m getting him back."

A Vulnerable record

According to Joan, her main aim for this record was to make it "honest and open," although, as the record touches on such emotional issues as the death of her mother, she admitted that sometimes that was a hard bench mark to live up to:

"There were a lot of times when I would sing something and I would be like: 'I am not putting that in the song, I feel too vulnerable.' And then I would realise that that was probably the most important thing to leave in the song."

Although she told 6 Music that the process of writing the songs, and then singing them repeatedly on tour, forces her to deal with the emotions behind them:

"It definitely is a way to make peace with them, y'know? I can't break down on stage.

"I mean, I guess I could, but that would be a whole other show that I’m not interested in doing."

To Survive is out on Reveal records on 09 June.

Lucy O'Doherty