Singer Rufus Wainwright says he was "mortified" to hear his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" played at former President Donald Trump's town hall Monday night in Pennsylvania, calling it "the height of blasphemy." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI |
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Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Singer Rufus Wainwright is joining other musicians, demanding former President Donald Trump stop campaigning with their music, as Wainwright announced Tuesday he was "mortified" to hear his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" played at Trump's town hall in Pennsylvania.
Monday night's town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks was interrupted twice by medical emergencies, during which music was played as first responders attended to supporters.
"Witnessing Trump and his supporters commune with this music last night was the height of blasphemy," Wainwright, who supports Vice President Kamala Harris, wrote Tuesday in a post on Facebook.
"I in no way condone this and was mortified, but the good in me hopes that perhaps in inhabiting and really listening to the lyrics of Cohen's masterpiece, Donald Trump just might experience a hint of remorse over what he's caused," Wainwright added. "I'm not holding my breath."
The publishing company for the Leonard Cohen estate has sent the Trump campaign a cease and desist letter, according to Wainwright's statement, which referred to the anthem as "peace, love and acceptance of the truth."
This is not the first time the Trump campaign has heard from artists over the use of their music during campaign events.
Last month, a federal judge in Georgia ordered Trump's campaign to stop using the song "Hold On, I'm Coming" in videos and at campaign rallies for the Republican presidential nominee, following a lawsuit by the estate of the late R&B artist Isaac Hayes.
Swedish pop band ABBA, the Foo Fighters, Céline Dion, Beyoncé, Johnny Marr of The Smiths and the estate of the late singer Sinéad O'Connor have also demanded Trump stop playing their songs.
The Trump campaign's unauthorized use of music goes back to his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, according to Adele, Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses, who also claimed they had not given Trump permission to use their songs.
