Watch Perfume Genius Play A Stunning Kimmel Performance In The Desert

Watch Perfume Genius Play A Stunning Kimmel Performance In The Desert

Perfume Genius mastermind Mike Hadreas is one of our great live performers, and he keeps finding ways to prove it, even during a pandemic. Months ago, Perfume Genius released the excellent new album Set My Heart On Fire Immediately, and Hadreas has approached the challenge of promoting it with a real sense of creativity. In July, for instance, Perfume Genius recorded a Tonight Show performance in an empty venue, and it ruled. Last night, Hadreas was the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and he gave that performance from the middle of the desert. That ruled, too.

On last night’s Kimmel, Perfume Genius gave a performance straight from Joshua Tree, California, and it was gorgeous. Hadreas and his backing band — including Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy on guitar and longtime collaborator Alan Wyffels on keyboard — all had dirty white T-shirts and faces covered in grime, like they’d all been on a vision quest together. They performed while the sun was setting behind them, which made for a powerful visual.

On the show proper, Perfume Genius played the Set My Heart On Fire Immediately highlight “Jason,” and Hadreas spent the entire track singing in a full-on falsetto that never wavered. As an online bonus, they also did “Nothing At All” — a performance evidently recorded when the sun was a little higher in the sky, but still during the magic hour. Check out both songs below.

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is out now on Matador.

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