by Rojas Oliva, managing editor
Ominous, industrial synths scream and whir as Mike Hadreas, architect of solo project Perfume Genius, becomes the embodiment of everything America fears about the gay community. “No family is safe when I sashay,” he almost hollers in Perfume Genius’s new single “Queen.”
This line sums up the song’s subversion of “gay panic.” Using stereotypes propagated by the ideologically informed homophobic swaths within American culture as weapons in a furious, prideful anthem, Hadreas throws light on the power this fear can give the individual. As he sings “don’t you know you’re queen,” his pronunciation of “queen” could easily morph into “queer.” Hadreas becomes a harbinger of all these fears, and he loves it.
All this is heightened by just how loud and weird the song is, especially given Hadreas’s reputation for writing beautifully muted, sparse piano-driven music. Here, he’s written something fierce and aggressive but still bizarrely fun. There are layers of melody carried by really sharp metallic synths reminiscent of late Joy Division along with disembodied grunts, ominous reverberations, raw drums and angelic choirs. “Queen” is an event that still manages to sound raw and exciting, that feels like it might just fly to pieces at any moment.
Established acts from Arcade Fire to Macklemore have released songs detailing LGBTQ struggles, but in comparison to “Queen,” these can’t help but come off as insincere and tame PR, serving as little more than obvious crowd-pleasers. It’s a whole ‘nother thing to see an openly gay artist sing in such a bold, complex and unapologetic way. Rarely (even within Perfume Genius’s own songs) have social commentary, personal empowerment and dramatic songwriting been married so beautifully. Even if entire cultures don’t subject you to their unreasonable fears, it’s always good to be reminded you’re a queen.
Watch the equally huge and fun music video here. Perfume Genius’s third album, “Too Bright,” will be released September 22 via Matador Records.
Photo from Matador Records.
