Perfume Genius

Under the moniker Perfume Genius, Seattle-based singer/songwriter Mike Hadreas writes painfully honest lyrics full of his experiences with abuse, addiction, suicide and the lack of acceptance he encountered for his homosexuality. After hitting a breaking point in New York City that caused him to move back into his mother's suburban Washington house, he isolated himself completely for six months and began to write music. Unexpectedly, the isolation forced Hadreas to face his demons, and the result was a stunningly heartfelt release entitled Learning. With haunting, emotive piano and the quivering nature of Hadreas' voice, the 2010 album was released by Matador Records and met with critical acclaim. After joining Beirut on a North American tour in 2011, he began work on his follow-up album Put Your Back N 2 It, which was released in 2012.