Mike Hadreas of Perfume Genius Is a ‘Cover Mister’

Hello Mr., the biannual magazine for "men who date men," celebrates passing the two-year mark with its biggest "cover mister" to date: Mike Hadreas, better known as Perfume Genius. The gay solo musician, who released his third album Too Bright last year to critical acclaim, joins former cover boys Nic Holas, Ed Droste, Dan Donigan (a.k.a. Milk), and Saeed Jones.

Hadreas uses the simplicity of his music to unlock an astounding complexity of emotions, raw with desire and pain, laden with heartbreak and lust. He's been very open about his path to music--via depression, addiction, and recovery--but he spoke with Hello Mr. on some less common themes: his musical heroines, his mother, and his boyfriend. He also offered some advice for readers:

"You're OK. People write--will tell me secrets, and they'll feel like their secrets are bad or somehow worse, or dirty or more shameful than everybody else's, and they're not. A lot of times people credit music and things that they listen to while they got over something. Somehow, that made them get better? But people don't give themselves enough credit! I mean, I didn't do anything! You know? I'm just cooing on the piano, and they're like, 'You saved my life!' I'm like, 'I'm pretty sure you did that.'"

This issue also features Looking's Daniel Franzese on body positivity. "This issue has a lot 'firsts' inside, but I won't spoil them just yet," Ryan Fitzgibbon, the magazine's founder and editor in chief, explained. "What I can say, though, is I promise this issue will make you feel good."