Editing Martha Wainwright

{{Short description|Canadian musician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name             = Martha Wainwright

| image               = Martha Wainwright 2.jpg
| caption             = Wainwright performing at the [[Cambridge Folk Festival]], 2008 
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1976|5|8}}
| genre            = [[Folk music|Folk]], pop
| occupation       = Singer-songwriter
| origin           = [[Montreal]], Quebec, Canada
| associated_acts  = {{hlist|[[Rufus Wainwright]]|[[The Wainwright Sisters]]|[[Loudon Wainwright III]]|[[Lucy Wainwright Roche]]|[[Kate & Anna McGarrigle|Kate & Anna]]|[[Snow Patrol]]}}
| label            = [[MapleMusic Recordings|MapleMusic]]
| years_active     = 1996–present
| website          = {{URL|marthawainwright.com}}
}}

'''Martha Wainwright''' (born May 8, 1976) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. She has released seven critically-acclaimed studio albums.

Wainwright is the daughter of musicians [[Kate McGarrigle]] and [[Loudon Wainwright III]] and the younger sister of singer–composer [[Rufus Wainwright]].

Martha Wainwright's live performances have received critical praise, with ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' writing that her concerts "leave in no doubt that she is a singular star.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/martha-wainwright-review-searing-songs-heartbreak-genuine-star/|title=Martha Wainwright, review: searing songs of heartbreak from a genuine star|first=Arwa|last=Haider|date=21 September 2021|website=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>" Apart from music, she has appeared in several film projects, including [[Martin Scorsese]]'s ''[[The Aviator (2004 film)|The Aviator]]'' and the [[HBO]] miniseries ''[[Olive Kitteridge (miniseries)|Olive Kitteridge]]'' alongside [[Frances McDormand]]. Wainwright owns and operates Ursa, a café, concert-hall, bar, and recording space in [[Montreal]].

==Early life==
Martha was born in New York City on May 8, 1976, to folk musicians [[Kate McGarrigle]] and [[Loudon Wainwright III]]. She moved to Montreal with her mother and brother when she was one year old, and was raised in Montreal in a musical family. She is [[Rufus Wainwright]]'s sister and they frequently perform together and collaborate on each other's albums. Martha is also half-sister to [[Lucy Wainwright Roche]], with whom she collaborated on the album ''[[Songs in the Dark (album)|Songs In The Dark]]'', which was nominated for a [[Juno Award]].

==Career==
===Debut EPs and ''Martha Wainwright''===
Martha Wainwright's first release was an album-length independent cassette of ten tracks, ''Ground Floor,'' released in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alwaysontherun.net/martha.htm|title=Martha Wainwright Lyrics, Photos, Pictures, Paroles, Letras, Text for every songs|website=Alwaysontherun.net}}</ref> Wainwright released two EPs in 2005—''[[Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole]]'' and ''[[I Will Internalize]]''—both of which contained some tracks that also appeared on her self-titled studio album, ''[[Martha Wainwright (album)|Martha Wainwright]]''. [[PopMatters]] called the ''Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole'' EP "a rebellious introductory stance for an artist looking to provoke or silence potential critics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/wainwrightmartha-bloodyep-2496114558.html|title=Martha Wainwright: Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole [EP]|website=PopMatters.com|first=Zeth|last=Lundy|date=27 January 2005}}</ref>" ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' included the song "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" in their songs of the year and ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called it "a blistering prelude to her debut album." "Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" was inspired by Wainwright's father, [[Loudon Wainwright III]]. She wrote the track as a response to her father's way of writing songs about his family, rather than tending to them.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/mar/18/marthawainwright.popandrock|title=Martha Wainwright|date=18 March 2005|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Despite the sentiment, she collaborated a year earlier with Loudon on the song "You Never Phone" on his 2003 album ''[[So Damn Happy (Loudon Wainwright III album)|So Damn Happy]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nodepression.com/loudon-wainwright-iii-so-damn-happy/|title=Loudon Wainwright III - So Damn Happy|date=1 November 2003|website=No Depression}}</ref>

"Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole" was used at the end of the second episode in season three of the [[Netflix]] original series ''[[Orange is the New Black]]'', and at the end of the fourth episode in season one of the [[HBO]] original series ''[[Big Little Lies (TV series)|Big Little Lies]]''.

Wainwright's self-titled debut album was released through [[Zoë Records]] and [[Drowned in Sound]] in April 2005, and earned Wainwright a nomination for New Artist of the Year at the 2006 [[Juno Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://junoawards.ca/nomination/2006-new-artist-of-the-year-sponsored-by-factor-and-radio-starmaker-fund-martha-wainwright/|title=2006 &#124; New Artist of the Year (sponsored by FACTOR and Radio Starmaker Fund) &#124; Martha Wainwright &#124;|website=Junoawards.ca|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref> The album also reached number 43 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Top Heatseekers chart.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/martha-wainwright/|title=Martha Wainwright|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Her debut album featured contributions from her mother, [[Kate McGarrigle]], her brother, [[Rufus Wainwright]], her cousin, Lily Lanken, as well as organ and saxophone from [[Garth Hudson]] of [[The Band]]. [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] wrote that the album "proves Martha Wainwright has a strong, distinct, fully formed musical identity, which would be just as impressive by any other name."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8789-martha-wainwright/|title=Martha Wainwright: Martha Wainwright|website=Pitchfork.com}}</ref>

In 2006, Wainwright collaborated with [[Snow Patrol]] on their song "[[Set the Fire to the Third Bar]]", off their critically and commercially successful album ''[[Eyes Open (Snow Patrol album)|Eyes Open]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/news/read/uk-album-chart-analysis-buble-outsells-jls-by-just-569-units/047383|title=UK Album Chart Analysis: Buble outsells JLS by just 569 units &#124; News &#124; Music Week|website=Musicweek.com}}</ref> Frontman [[Gary Lightbody]] says that he wrote the song with Wainwright's vocals specifically in mind.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pluginmusic.com/interviews.php?page=snowpatrol |title=Archived copy |website=www.pluginmusic.com |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027075112/http://www.pluginmusic.com/interviews.php?page=snowpatrol |archive-date=27 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Alvin Chan from ''musicOMH'' raved that "Lightbody's vocals are perfectly complemented by Canadian songstress Martha Wainwright, whose arrestingly haunting voice is put to good use."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/singles/snow-patrol-6_1106.htm|title=Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar : track review|date=9 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009135604/http://www.musicomh.com/singles/snow-patrol-6_1106.htm|archive-date=9 October 2007}}</ref>

===''I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too''===
Wainwright's second album, ''[[I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too]]'', was released through [[ZE Records|Zoë Records]] and [[Drowned in Sound]] in June 2008, resulting in the No. 10 position on the Top Heatseekers ''Billboard'' charts and No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Canada Music Charts, among other chart positions throughout Europe and Australia. The album was hailed for showcasing Wainwright's musical maturity and talent as a songwriter, and was a Long List Nominee for the 2009 [[Polaris Music Prize]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://polarismusicprize.ca/album/i-know-youre-married-but-ive-got-feelings-too/|title=I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too|website=Polaris Music Prize|date=11 June 2014 }}</ref> The album features 12 original tracks and [[cover versions]] of [[Pink Floyd]]'s ''[[See Emily Play]]'' and, as a bonus track in some countries, the [[Eurythmics]]' ''[[Love Is a Stranger]]''. The Australian release included a limited edition [[digipak]] with additional images and the bonus track. "Comin' Tonight" was released as an [[iTunes]] exclusive download in Australia in April 2008.

In addition to returning collaborators Anna McGarrigle, Kate McGarrigle, Rufus Wainwright, and [[Garth Hudson]], [[Donald Fagen]] of [[Steely Dan]] contributed synthesizers on "So Many Friends", and [[Pete Townshend]] played electric guitar on "You Cheated Me" and "Comin' Tonight".

===''Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, à Paris: Martha Wainwright's Piaf Record''===
''[[Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, à Paris: Martha Wainwright's Piaf Record]]'', a tribute to legendary French singer [[Édith Piaf]], was released in November 2009. An homage to Piaf, it was received with glowing reviews, leaving audiences "stunned" by Wainwright's "incredible range and talent".<ref>[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article6899480.ece]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref> The album was recorded during three performances in New York's [[Dixon Place|Dixon Place Theatre]] in June 2009. The accompanying DVD was filmed by [[Jamie Catto]]. The name of the album comes from the lyrics to Piaf's song "Les Grognards".

===''Come Home to Mama''===
''[[Come Home to Mama|Come Home To Mama]]'' was released on October 15, 2012. The album was recorded at [[Sean Lennon]]'s home studio in New York City and produced by [[Cibo Matto]]'s [[Yuka Honda]]. Guest musicians on the album included Honda, Lennon, [[Wilco]] guitarist Nels Cline, and [[Dirty Three]] drummer [[Jim White (drummer)|Jim White]]. "Proserpina", the album's first [[Single (music)|single]], was written by Wainwright's mother, [[Kate McGarrigle]], who died in 2010. Produced by Cibo Matto's Yuka Honda, it was heralded by [[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo Magazine]] as a "substantial and brilliantly sung career best." The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Canada Music Charts and #21 US Top Heatseekers ''Billboard'' charts.<ref name="auto1"/> The song "Four Black Sheep" was originally recorded in 2009 for [[CBC Radio 2]]'s ''[[Great Canadian Song Quest]]''.

===''Trauma''===
In 2013, she recorded the soundtrack album for the fourth season of the television drama series ''[[Trauma (Canadian TV series)|Trauma]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/596832/martha-wainwright-trauma|title=Martha Wainwright, nouvelle voix de la série Trauma|website=Radio-Canada.ca|date=22 January 2013 }}</ref> For the soundtrack project, Wainwright selected songs drawn mainly from the Quebec musical repertoire. In addition to covers of [[Offenbach (band)|Offenbach]], [[Claude Dubois]] and [[Daniel Bélanger]], Wainwright re-recorded three of her own songs in French as well as one by [[Kate & Anna McGarrigle]].

===''Songs in the Dark''===
In 2015, Wainwright collaborated with her half-sister [[Lucy Wainwright Roche]] on the album ''[[Songs in the Dark (album)|Songs in the Dark]]''. Released under the name [[The Wainwright Sisters]], the album featured a suite of lullabies that their mothers Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche sang to them as children, in addition to songs by [[Woody Guthrie]], [[Jimmie Rodgers (country singer)|Jimmie Rogers]], and their father Loudon Wainwright III.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://voir.ca/nouvelles/actualite-musicale/2015/09/15/martha-wainwright-annonce-un-premier-album-pour-the-wainwright-sisters/|title=Martha Wainwright annonce un premier album pour The Wainwright Sisters|first=Valérie|last=Thérien|website=Voir.ca|date=15 September 2015 }}</ref> Details of the album were announced in September 2015. The song "[[El Cóndor Pasa (song)|El Condor Pasa]]" premiered on Speakeasy, a blog affiliated with ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', via [[SoundCloud]], on October 7, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-SEB-91407|title=Listen to the Wainwright Sisters Sing 'El Condor Pasa' (Exclusive Song)|first=Eric R.|last=Danton|date=7 October 2015|website=Wsj.com}}</ref> Andy Gill of ''[[The Independent]]'' gave the album four out of five stars and wrote, "if ever an album merited the epithet 'charming', this is it."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/the-wainwright-sisters-songs-in-the-dark-album-review-a6733276.html|title=The Wainwright Sisters, Songs In The Dark - album review|date=13 November 2015|website=The Independent}}</ref> The album was nominated for Traditional Roots Album of the Year at the 2016 [[Juno Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://junoawards.ca/artist-profile/the-wainwright-sisters/|title=The Wainwright Sisters|website=Junoawards.ca|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref>

===''Goodnight City''===
''[[Goodnight City]]'' was released in November 2016, and received notable praise from [[Exclaim!]], [[NPR]], and [[The Guardian]], who called it "uplifting and powerful."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/martha_wainwright-goodnight_city|title=Martha Wainwright Goodnight City &#124; Exclaim!|website=Exclaim.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/11/03/500057098/first-listen-martha-wainwright-goodnight-city|title=Review: Martha Wainwright, 'Goodnight City'|first=Ann|last=Powers|date=3 November 2016|website=Npr.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/nov/10/martha-wainwright-goodnight-city-review|title=Martha Wainwright: Goodnight City review – uplifting and powerful|date=10 November 2016|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Unlike previous albums, Martha Wainwright chose to co-write several of the songs on ''Goodnight City'' with friends and other notable songwriters, including [[Beth Orton]], [[Glen Hansard]], [[Michael Ondaatje]], and [[Merrill Garbus]] of [[Tune-Yards]]. Recorded in Montreal, ''Goodnight City'' was produced by [[Doveman|Thomas Bartlett]], who previously worked with [[Sufjan Stevens]] and [[Glen Hansard]]. The album reached #41 on the ''Billboard'' Canadian Music charts.

In May 2020, Wainwright released "Wolves", a duet with Rufus Wainwright that was recorded during the sessions for ''Goodnight City''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.v2benelux.com/news-represented-labels/martha-wainwright-shares-new-song-wolves-featuring-brother-rufus-wainwright-22178|title=Martha Wainwright shares new song 'Wolves' featuring brother Rufus Wainwright|first=Freek|last=Stoltenborgh|date=8 May 2020|website=V2benelux.com}}</ref>

===''Love Will Be Reborn''===
In 2021, Wainwright released ''[[Love Will Be Reborn]]'', which has been received as her best album since her self-titled debut.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/martha-wainwright-love-will-be-reborn/|title=Martha Wainwright: Love Will Be Reborn|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> ''Love Will Be Reborn'' was made during the pandemic and recorded in Wainwright's hometown of Montreal, in the basement of her café-bar, Ursa, which also served as a studio. The songs on the album were largely influenced by her divorce from producer Brad Albetta.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://natcorbeil.com/page/Biographie-de-Martha-Wainwright.aspx|title=Nat Corbeil &#124; Biographie de Martha Wainwright|website=Natcorbeil.com|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref> Wainwright began writing the album in 2017 after her separation from Albetta. Wainwright has described the album as "more on a broader perspective of themes of life and death, and time and trust and lack of trust, and parenthood and all of these things that sort of seem like a much bigger, broader, perspective and a deeper, more layered life."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/the-rebirth-of-martha-wainwright-1.6152739|title=The rebirth of Martha Wainwright|website=Cbc.ca|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref>

The album features [[Toronto]] musicians Thom Gill, Phil Melanson, Morgan Moore, and Josh Cole of [[Bernice (band)|Bernice]], and was produced by [[Pierre Marchand]], who also produced several of Kate & Anna McGarrigle's albums. ''Love Will Be Reborn'' received universal acclaim upon its release. [[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] wrote that, "''Love Will Be Reborn'' feels at once bigger and smaller than her previous material, with each quiet rumination leading her toward grander musings on love, grief, and motherhood.<ref name="auto"/>" ''[[American Songwriter]]'' wrote that ''Love Will Be Reborn'' "could be considered Martha Wainwright's tour de force, a de facto declaration of outrage and emotion shared with full intent and without hesitation," and hailed that "if artistry is the product of passion, then Wainwright has demonstrated yet again that she's capable of channeling it better than most.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/review-martha-wainwrights-new-album-shares-the-agony-of-her-ecstasy/|title=Review: Martha Wainwright's New Album Shares the Agony of Her Ecstasy|date=20 August 2021|website=American Songwriter}}</ref>"

==Other projects==
Martha Wainwright has contributed songs to various soundtracks and [[compilation album]]s, including ''[[The Aviator (2004 film)|The Aviator]]'' (2004), ''[[Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man]]'' (2005), and ''[[Song of America (album)|Song of America]]'' (2007).

In 2009, Wainwright appeared on her father's album ''[[High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project]]'', which won the 2010 [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album|Best Traditional Folk Album]].

Martha Wainwright participated in the 2015 edition of [[Canada Reads]], advocating for [[Jocelyne Saucier]]'s novel ''And the Birds Rained Down''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2015/01/20/cbc-announces-canada-reads-finalists.html|title=CBC announces Canada Reads finalists|first=Deborah|last=Dundas|date=20 January 2015|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref>

In 2020, she hosted the television series [[:fr:Mix sonore|''Mix sonore'']], a bilingual production featuring Canadian musicians. The show was broadcast on the network [[Unis TV]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://livemusichalifax.ca/event/martha-wainwright-hosts-live-music-tv-show/|title=Martha Wainwright with Rose Cousins, Etienne Fletcher & Yann Perreau|website=Livemusichalifax.ca|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref>

In 2019, Wainwright opened a café-bar in Montreal called Ursa on [[Park Avenue (Montreal)|Parc Avenue]]. Several artists have performed at the venue since it opened, including [[Patrick Watson (musician)|Patrick Watson]], [[Ariel Engle|La Force]], [[The Barr Brothers]], Rufus Wainwright, and Loudon Wainwright III. Her 2021 album, ''[[Love Will Be Reborn]]'', was recorded at Ursa during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].

During the pandemic, Wainwright performed a series of rooftop concerts in Montreal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/musician-martha-wainwright-leads-another-balcony-singalong-1.5515516|title=Musician Martha Wainwright invites Montrealers to another balcony singalong|website=Cbc.ca|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref> She spearheaded several balcony sing-alongs working alongside [[Pop Montreal|POP Montreal]], where Montrealers sang at night on their balconies to uniting community anthems, including [[Leonard Cohen]]s "[[So Long, Marianne]]" and "I Lost My Baby" by [[Jean Leloup]].

Wainwright released her memoirs in English: ''Stories I Might Regret Telling You'' and in French: ''Rien de grave n'est encore arrivé'' translated by Fanny Britt in the spring of 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2022/05/30/Martha-Wainwright-Memoir//|title='I Dried My Tears and Sang. Remembers Martha Wainwright|website=The Tyee|date=30 May 2022 |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/plus-on-est-de-fous-plus-on-lit/segments/entrevue/399954/martha-wainwright-rien-de-grave-est-encore-arrive|title=Martha Wainwright : Ses mémoires Rien de grave n'est encore arrivé|website=Radio-Canada|access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Wainwright married her producer and musical collaborator Brad Albetta in September 2007. They divorced in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/rufus-and-martha-wainwrights-noel-nights-continues-family-tradition|title=Rufus and Martha Wainwright's Noël Nights continues family tradition|website=Montrealgazette.com}}</ref> They have two sons, Arcangelo and Francis.

==Discography==
{{main|Martha Wainwright discography}}
* ''[[Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole]]'' (EP) (2005)
* ''[[Martha Wainwright (album)|Martha Wainwright]]'' (2005)
* ''[[I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Come Home to Mama]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Trauma (Canadian TV series) soundtrack albums|Trauma]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Goodnight City]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Love Will Be Reborn]]'' (2021)
* ''6 Songs'' (2025)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Martha Wainwright}}
* {{official website|marthawainwright.com}}
* {{Discogs artist}}
* {{IMDb name|0906543}}
* [https://www.thepoetryextension.com/martha/ Interview with Martha Wainwright] by ''The Poetry Extension''
* [https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-50-q/clip/15862287-martha-wainwright-autobiographical-album-love-will-be-reborn Interview with Martha Wainwright] on [[CBC Radio]] [[Q (radio show)|Q]]

{{Martha Wainwright|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wainwright, Martha}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian women singers]]
[[Category:American emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Anglophone Quebec people]]
[[Category:Bayard family]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:Canadian women pop singers]]
[[Category:Canadian women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:French-language singers of Canada]]
[[Category:McGarrigle–Wainwright–Roche family]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Rufus Wainwright]]
[[Category:Singers from Montreal]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Quebec]]
[[Category:Stuyvesant family]]
[[Category:The Wainwright Sisters members]]
[[Category:Canadian women autobiographers]]
[[Category:Zoë Records artists]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Canadian indie folk musicians]]
[[Category:Wainwright family|M]]