Perfume Genius Releases New Song Natural High From Upcoming Music And Dance Project The Lesson
Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Alex Kacha
Perfume Genius has released a new song, Natural High.
The six-minute experimental pop offering builds from brooding keys to a bright, synthy, house-inspired finish, and was co-produced with Pascal Stevenson (Fashion Club). It's taken from the Seattle-based artist's upcoming music and dance project, The Lesson, created with Alan Wyffels and Tate Justus, in collaboration with choreographer Kate Wallich.
Inspired by Elfriede Jelinek's novel The Piano Teacher, the project was commissioned by Seattle Theatre Group and follows Perfume Genius, real name Mike Hadreas, and Wallich's 2019 collaboration, The Sun Still Burns Here, which later developed into Perfume Genius' 2022 album 'Ugly Season'. It combines dance and live music, with the score featuring all new Perfume Genius music, more of which is expected to be released next year.
"I’ve always thought of my albums as soundtracks to films that do not exist,” Hadreas said. "There is a freedom to inhabiting something imagined and purely sonic. I can be every character or not exist at all or body swap at will. Scenes can shift immediately just because I feel like it. That doesn’t change when creating a performance with Kate, all the mystery and thrill of going somewhere lawless and dreamlike stays intact - but I’m not alone in building the world and it literally fleshes out in real time. Body swapping feels very different when you are actually in a room holding the other person."
Wallich added: "Mike and I learned during the last piece, that we are interested in the same kinds of tensions and contradictions in the work we make. When we started searching for a framework for this new piece, we kept coming back to The Piano Teacher. We are all drawn to the dynamics between what is good and what is bad...how we’re supposed to behave, and how we aren’t, how to balance desire and restraint. As we’ve gotten older and closer, and learned a lot of our own lessons along the way, it feels right to come back into a room together, ask new questions and create stakes together again."
The Lesson is set to premiere at REDCAT in Los Angeles with three shows from February 18, followed by performances from February 25 to 27. The show will then continue its world tour in March, with dates in New York, Paris, London and other cities. Head here for more details.
Natural High also marks the singer's first release since his Grammy-nominated seventh album, 2025's 'Glory' and its 2026 extended edition.
Perfume Genius is currently on the fall North American leg of his Duo Tour, which will conclude with two shows at London's Union Chapel on October 27 and 28, with support from Dan English.
Perfume Genius Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Tue October 27 2026 - LONDON Union Chapel
Wed October 28 2026 - LONDON Union Chapel
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