Perfume Genius: Drank some caffeine, read some news, and went on my exercise bike. Read below to see what else he’s been up to. We last spoke to the artist for August’s Thought Leaders issue, and since then he’s been exercising, making music and hanging out. Slideshow All clothing and accessories Gucci While his album does exhibit darker themes, it also has its tender moments, exhibiting the curative properties of love, which is something we could all use a little of right now. It’s melodramatic, smart, but most of all painfully relatable.
Now, he’s trying to do the same for his fans, with his songs serving as a beacon of hope for those facing similar battles. Leaning heavily on songs during this period, making music is how he would take a breath. Back in high school, Hadreas was bullied intensely for his sexuality and then when he moved to NYC he began using drugs and alcohol to file his feelings away. Being easier on himself is a lesson Hadreas has come to learn along the way. “I hope my music lets people live alongside all the fucked up competing energies and just be easier on themselves,” said Mike Hadreas, the creative force behind the artist. As a release of sorts, the motion welcomes us into this journey of self-exploration and hunger for human connection, which, ironically, is something that’s been on hold for some time now. Perfume Genius opens his latest album, Set My Heart on Fire Immediately, with a breath.