There's no shortage of pop musicians who reached their creative peak in their 20s, then struggled to remain productive and relevant after the flush of youth failed them. Think of Brian Wilson, Syd Barrett and even John Lennon.
Perhaps because he takes his cues from what he calls the "ultimate blueprint" of classical music, which is less swayed by the fickleness of fashion than market-driven pop and is more patient with emerging talent, singer- songwriter Rufus Wainwright foresees his career following a different trajectory from those of some of his rock peers. At 34, he says he's beginning to hit his stride.
"Your 20s should be your experimental time, and your 30s are when you really start going," he says by phone before a gig in Hamburg, Germany, ahead of his upcoming Japan tour. "You've got to get better and better up until the day you keel over."