Jake Shears to Make BBC Proms Debut Alongside Rufus Wainwright

Singer, musician and former Scissor Sisters front man Jake Shears will make his BBC Proms debut by joining Rufus Wainwright for Want Two on Tuesday 5 September, 10.15pm at the Royal Albert Hall, alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra and led by conductor Sarah Hix.  

The multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright returns to the BBC Proms for two concerts on the same name night; the Want Symphonic – Want One and Want Two. Marking 20 years since the release of his lauded album Want One, which draws on everything from opera to cabaret, chanson and jazz, these will be world premiere performances of the two concerts with brand new orchestral arrangements created especially for the Proms. Jake Shears will appear to duet the song Old Whore’s Diet with Rufus Wainwright.   

Rufus Wainwright says: “I have known Jake for my entire career. He actually gave me the Scissor Sisters' tape with some of their early demos and asked me for advice and then they became bigger than anything I had ever heard of. I have always admired Jake for his musical vision and I am so excited that we finally get the chance to properly sing together and sing a song of mine that I think we both can relate to very well.” 

Jake Shears says: "It’s hard to believe we’ve never properly sung together, but I can finally say we ARE!  I am joining my dear friend Rufus Wainwright at this year's BBC Proms at the incredible Royal Albert Hall for a duet we can't wait to share with you all" 

 The Prom will be live on BBC Radio 3 and available on Sounds for one month afterwards.

The 2023 Proms has featured a huge breadth of programming; from Berlioz to Bollywood, large scale symphonic and choral work to intimate chamber concerts and exciting Proms debuts. The Proms’ offering of ‘something different’ concerts have explored genres including Northern Soul, Fado, Bollywood and jazz. This season the Proms has collaborated with artists including Self Esteem and Jon Hopkins, and earlier this week the Proms celebrated the 50 year anniversary of Stevie Wonder’s hit album Innervisions, which featured surprise performances from Lianne La Havas, Laura Mvula and Sheléa who joined Cory Henry and Jules Buckley and his orchestra. 

Photo credit: Damon Baker

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