By Madeline Jones
As Perfume Genius, Michael Alden Hadreas possesses a catalog of songs that feel simultaneously like an intimate whisper and full-out crescendo. Hadreas’ stage name dates back to his Myspace days of 2008, inspired by the obsessive protagonist of the thriller Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Before that, he drifted between places — Des Moines, Seattle, Brooklyn — at one point working as a club doorman. Over the years, he has collaborated with artists like Adrian Utley of Portishead, Sharon Van Etten, and members of The National. His work has been widely praised, despite some occasional censorship in earlier years due to his embrace of his sexuality. Hadreas has remained unwavering, using his platform to advocate for queer visibility while embedding those themes into every part of his music.
Since his debut, Hadreas has released seven original albums, including his latest, Glory, which was released in March of 2025. Written largely during the COVID-19 pandemic, Glory wrestles with disconnection and the feeling of being trapped inside one’s own mind, feeling both pushed out into the external world and constantly pulled back into the retreat of isolation. Yet unlike some of his earlier work, this record opens outward. Hadreas embraces collaboration here, working closely with longtime partner Alan Wyffels, who first joined his tour as a pianist in 2010, on much of the album. Hadreas has described the process as leaving space for his band to shape the songs, resulting in arrangements that feel more dynamic, while still infused with Hadreas’ characteristic vulnerability.
As the Glory tour continues, Hadreas brings his music to DC’s Lincoln Theater, where he will perform on March 31, 2026 at 8pm. Tickets are available on Tickmaster.
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