Martha Wainwright

Part ingénue, part punkster, strong and vulnerable all at once, a hugely expressive voice and an arsenal of powerful songs, all add up to make Martha Wainwright a beguiling entertainer and a refreshingly different, new force in music.

Daughter of folk legends Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle and sister of acclaimed singer songwriter Rufus Wainwright, Martha was born in New York City and raised in Montreal.  Her childhood found her immersed in music and often performing with her parents.  In 1998, Martha made her first steps into her own recording career by contributing her song “Year of the Dragon” to her mother and aunt’s album The McGarrigle Hour.  In the same year she started singing back-up for her brother both live and on record.  As she wryly jokes:  “I had no classical training, but I had angst and heartbreak and fantastic music all around me.  What more could I need?”

After leaving her college early, Martha moved to New York City and distinguished herself almost immediately.  Her strong sense of individuality as well as her direct emotional and lyrical appeal helped her develop a devoted following within the Big Apple’s singer-songwriter scene.

The emotional world Martha describes in her music is one of personal uncertainty and emotional fracture.  Her songs are unswervingly honest about her own insecurities and fears.  Fears about her own talent, her place as a woman in relationship to men and love in general.

Undoubtedly her own person, with her own sense of style, Martha creates her own music with an extraordinary versatile and compelling voice.

Osheaga is proud to host Martha Wainwright Saturday, September 8th in what promises to be a memorable homecoming!

www.marthawainwright.com