Fragrance Genius on his obsession with demented issues : World Cafe : NPR

As a younger boy, Mike Hadreas remembers seeing a information report about two youngsters getting kidnapped in a white van. It was clearly horrifying, however Hadreas was additionally intrigued.

“I type of began fantasizing about getting kidnapped,” he says.

Ever since, moving into harmful conditions “for the story” has been a gorgeous prospect for Hadreas, who performs as Fragrance Genius.

“I knew I used to be going to try this once I bought older,” he says. “I used to be, like, ‘I will transfer to the town, and I will be an alcoholic and an artist.’ … I type of engaged in quite a lot of issues at first for the story — to be the wild artist that I assumed I used to be, regardless that I used to be making zero artwork. I used to be simply doing quite a lot of medicine.”
 
Hadreas, now almost 20 years sober, has adopted a distinct outlook on life, and his musical storytelling has flourished consequently.

“You may make one thing actually demented with out referencing a demented reminiscence that you just actually lived by means of, and you can also make one thing deeply unhappy and transferring with out being in that place,” he says.

His newest document follows presumably the least harmful state of affairs — albeit harmful in one other sense: On account of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Hadreas discovered himself — for the primary time — with nothing to do however replicate on his 15 years of constructing music.

In right now’s session, Hadreas joins us to speak concerning the album he made within the aftermath of that stillness. Glory is, amongst different issues, a meditation on his profession up to now; on loss of life; on his worry of males; and on the steadiness he is discovered along with his longtime romantic and inventive accomplice, Alan Wyffels.

Glory additionally options contributions from New Zealand singer-songwriter Aldous Harding, and producer Blake Mills. We even have unique dwell performances of songs from Glory recorded by our mates at WFUV in New York.

On his expertise self-isolating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

“I type of simply tanked, actually. The music is a reasonably constant schedule of vitality. You isolate. You write. Then you definately go into the studio. Then you definately tour for a 12 months and half. It is this built-in stability of inner and exterior.

“Plus, the entire thing is so overwhelming that I have not actually had an opportunity to finalize any of my ideas … I simply did it on stage or with the music. I believe having that each one be on maintain, in a method, I simply began spiraling and making up for misplaced time.”

On his anxiousness round males and “It is a Mirror”

“Small speak makes me actually nervous, and I believe it is as a result of I am scared that I will get came upon. It isn’t which you can’t — with any type of speak — in all probability make some assumptions about me fairly rapidly that, rising up, bought me into hassle and have been very obvious from a younger age.

“I believe I simply have this concept that males, particularly, are going to not like me and I have to keep away from them for my very own security … I do not suppose it really is true anymore, however when you’ve got an expertise while you’re 11 or 8 or no matter, it shapes your worldview … Sadly, quite a lot of issues have lasted into my 40s that I in all probability determined once I was 7 that are not true anymore.”

Fragrance Genius

Cody Critcheloe/Courtesy of the artist

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Cody Critcheloe/Courtesy of the artist

On his love of “disgusting” issues

“I believe I like when issues are off, after they’re imperfect or comprise a bunch of issues without delay; they’re humorous they usually stink…

“I similar to the opposite aspect of the whole lot. It is enjoyable to go there. Any individual despatched me a meme they wrote displaying a bunch of topic issues from a few of my songs, and it was so demented … Like, lesbian cannibalism planet, which is a music that I wrote. Then, giving start to a demon out of your butt. I did that music too…

“Regardless that the topic feels very campy or ‘an excessive amount of,’ I felt a way of energy within [those songs]. That is a part of it too — I like making silly or disgusting issues really feel highly effective and delightful or worthwhile.

This episode of World Cafe was produced and edited by Miguel Perez. Our senior producer is Kimberly Junod and our engineer is Chris Williams. Our programming and reserving coordinator is Chelsea Johnson and our line producer is Will Loftus.