Featured Musician: Wendy Rule

“Dark, sensual, sonic theater…compelling stuff.” – Rolling Stone Australia

“Blessed by a voice that purrs and soars” – The Age Good Weekend, Melbourne

“Ever the high priestess, Rule plays a role she is both beloved in, and born into.” – The Music, Australia.

 

Wendy Rule, Persephone, the new double-album from Australian visionary songstress Wendy Rule, is the culmination of over twelve years work. Drawing on Wendy’s musical journey over the past 2 decades is unlike anything that she has done before. This beautifully evocative retelling of the Ancient Greek myth of the Goddess Persephone’s descent into the Underworld is almost like an opera, designed to guide the listener through this ancient tale of the cycles of Nature. With subtle textures that reference her early life as a jazz singer in her home town of Melbourne, and the trademark dark, gothic soundscapes and souring vocals of her previous 7 major albums, Persephone is an ambitious and unique 24 track journey through the realms of Life, Death, and human emotion. But then again, Wendy has always carved a unique and individual path. Since the release of her first album Zero in 1996, she has defied categorization, always walking to the beat of her own drum. Combining elements of gothic, folk, world, ambient and cabaret music, and crossing over into Pagan and New Age categories with her many mythological, esoteric, and ritual references, Wendy is as individual as she is prolific.

A dedicated live performer, Wendy has toured extensively since her first album’s release- starting in Australia, then branching out with her first international tour in 2001. Renowned for her extraordinary voice and live shows that blur the line between music, ritual and theater, Wendy has gained a loyal following in Australia, the USA, Europe and the UK. From the most intimate solo house concerts, to festival gigs with her band (featuring long term musical collaborator Rachel Samuel on cello), Wendy takes her audience on an otherworldly journey of depth and passion.

With the help of her loyal fan base Wendy continues to maintain her musical independence, unbound by the confines of the mainstream. Two hugely successful crowdfunding campaigns have helped bring both Persephone, and her previous album Black Snake (2014) to life. In the past few years she has continued to grow her audience, not only with her dedicated touring schedule, but also with her performance as ‘La Llorano’ in the 2016 feature film Boys in the Trees by director Nicholas Verso (now screening on Netflix), and with her popular monthly Full Moon Magic live-streamed concerts.

In 2014 Wendy relocated from Australia to the USA, and is now living in the beautiful High Desert city of Santa Fe, New Mexico – allowing her an even stronger connection to her ever growing US fan base, and providing daily access to the wild Nature that inspires her unique and transformational work.

We are super excited to have Wendy Rule come out to Paganfest this year to share her music and knowledge with us through performance and her workshop, Persephone. Learn more about her workshop by clicking here.

MUSICAL RELEASES
2019 Persephone – Double album on CD and Vinyl
2017 Vox Solfeggio (with Timothy Van Diest)
2014 Black Snake
2010 Guided By Venus
2008 Beneath the Below is a River (with Craig Patterson)
2007 Meditations on the 4 Elements
2006 The Wolf Sky
2003 The Lotus Eaters
2000 World Between Worlds
1998 Deity
1996 Zero

LIVE RECORDINGS AND SIDE PROJECTS
2012 Live at the Castle on the Hill (Full length acoustic live album)
2004 A Night of Jazz (Live recording with Roger Perrin and friends)
2004 Deep Within a Faerie Forest (Collaboration with Gary Stadler)

OTHER WORKS
2016. Performance and end credit song in ‘Boys in the Trees’ feature film
2000 An Underworld Journey (Video release of a musical / theatrical show)
1997 Live album
1996 Continental Isolation (three track CD single)
1999 Artemis (four track CD single)

Contact Wendy:
EMAIL: wendy@wendyrule.com
WEBSITE: www.wendyrule.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/wendyrulemusic
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/wendyrule
PATREON: www.patreon.com/wendyrule

Wendy will be hitting the stage @Paganfest Saturday, July 20th around 9pm.