Musical genius with A nose for trouble

U.S. singer hopes to sniff out what’s happening in Glasgow

AMERICAN singer Perfume Genius knew his new album had hit the mark – when he was sent his first death threat. The troubadour, real name Mike Hadreas, has penned two albums of indie pop that are brutally honest about his life, and the ups and downs in it, from relationships to his battles with drugs and drink.

It’s the sort of searingly strong stuff that stands out from the crowd, and has marked Mike as an artist on the rise.

He’s set to headline the SWG3 venue in Glasgow tomorrow night as part of the ongoing No Mean City festival.

But clearly not everyone was impressed with this year’s Put Your Back In 2 It record.

“I am very satisfied with the record,” he says, reflecting on the album.

“I’ve received many letters and people have written such nice things.

“I have also received some death threats, which means I must be doing something right, as even those idiots are feeling something from the music.”

Mike’s been in other hot water this year, with one of his videos banned from Youtube due to scenes showing the singer embracing another man.

When it comes to his actual music, the 25-yearold from Seattle had some issues too, struggling at first to write the songs that formed Put Your Back In 2 It.

Yet not only did he find enough material, he was able to deliver an album that’s more hopeful than his bleak debut, Learning, which was released in 2010.

“It was important to me that I didn’t just mine my back catalogue of rubbish experiences for inspiration,” he says.

“People had written to me after the first album, and I thought of it as an obligation to write more upbeat things.

“I do not plan on being broken, I do not plan on not sorting out my shame. I am going to carry on and I want all my buddies and all the people that wrote to me to carry on.

“I tried to be mindful of that while I was writing.”

While the pop planet is currently covered with a host of songs all about partying, Mike tends to focus mostly on more emotional material. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t enjoy himself.

“I like to party, although it looks different now that I don’t do drugs or drink, there is definitely a lot more pizza involved,” he says.

“Party music is important in its own way, but all the songs that have been important to me are not club bangers.

“I don’t think it ever truly goes against the tide to be sensitive.

I must be doing something right if even those idiots are feeling something