LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Montreal-raised singer Rufus Wainwright is a dad — and the baby is the grandchild of legendary musician Leonard Cohen.
Wainwright made the announcement on his website, saying Viva Katherine Wainwright Cohen was born Feb. 2 in Los Angeles.
He said the baby was born to "proud parents Lorca Cohen, Rufus Wainwright and Deputy Dad Jorn Weisbrodt." Weisbrodt is Wainwright's romantic partner.
In the posting, Rufus Wainwright referred to himself as "Daddy #1."
"Daddy #1 would like to offer everyone a digital cigar and welcome the little lady in with a French phrase from his favorite folk song, 'A La Claire Fontaine': "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai," Wainwright wrote.
The translation: "I've loved you a long time. I will never forget you."
Wainwright is the son of folk musician Loudon Wainwright III and the late Canadian singer Kate McGarrigle. Lorca Cohen's mother is artist Suzanne Elrod, who had two children with Leonard Cohen.
On his website, Wainwright noted that some articles have incorrectly characterized Lorca Cohen as "the surrogate."
"Of course, she is no such thing," Wainwright wrote. "She did not carry the child for someone else. Lorca Cohen is the mother of the baby and Rufus Wainwright is the father."
Wainwright has released several albums and recently wrote the opera "Prima Donna." He received a Grammy nomination two years ago for his tribute to Judy Garland, "Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall."
