Washed Out Bio
Ernest Weatherly Greene Jr., better known by his stage name Washed Out, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer whose hazy, synth-driven sound helped define the chillwave movement of the late 2000s. Emerging from the small town of Perry, Georgia, he first drew widespread attention with the 2009 single “Feel It All Around,” a track Pitchfork would later cite as the genre’s defining moment and that led the publication to call him the “Godfather of Chillwave.” Across his career, Greene has built a distinctive catalog of studio albums for labels such as Sub Pop, Mexican Summer, and Stones Throw, and he continues to expand his atmospheric, nostalgic approach to electronic pop music.
Early Life and Background
Ernest Weatherly Greene Jr. was born on October 3, 1982, in Perry, Georgia, a small community in the central part of the state. He grew up in a region far removed from the coastal music scenes that would later embrace his work, and his Southern roots would remain a quiet undercurrent in his identity as an artist. After completing high school, Greene enrolled at the University of Georgia, where he earned an undergraduate degree and later obtained a Master of Library and Information Science.
Despite his academic credentials, Greene struggled to find steady employment as a librarian after finishing his studies. With few professional prospects in his chosen field, he moved back into his parents’ home in Georgia and began reassessing his direction. It was during this transitional period that he started experimenting with recording equipment, laying the groundwork for the lo-fi productions that would eventually reach a global audience.
Path to Music
Greene’s first foray into recorded music came in 2008, when he produced lo-fi rock material under the stage name Lee Weather. The project drew modest local interest but failed to gain meaningful traction, prompting him to rethink his approach. By 2009, he had adopted the new stage name Washed Out and shifted toward a hazier, more electronic sound built on warped synths, drum machines, and heavily processed vocals.
The change in direction proved pivotal. Influential music bloggers discovered Greene’s tracks on his Myspace page, and the word-of-mouth excitement translated into coverage across the indie music press. His early releases were described as “drowsy, distorted, dance pop-influenced tracks that brought to mind Neon Indian and Memory Tapes,” a sonic identity that quickly became a touchstone for an emerging wave of bedroom producers working in similar territory.
Washed Out Career
Early Career (2009–2010)
Washed Out’s debut arrived in rapid fashion during 2009, when Greene released two EPs in August and September of that year. The records circulated widely online, fueled by the blog-driven attention surrounding his Myspace presence. He made his New York City debut at Santos Party House, an appearance that doubled as only his second live performance to date, signaling how recently the project had moved from his bedroom into a public setting.
By 2010, Greene was sharing stages with established acts, including a slot at the Pitchfork Music Festival. Around the same time, his song “Feel It All Around” was chosen as the opening theme for the television series Portlandia, giving his music a steady stream of new listeners and cementing the track as a signature piece of the chillwave era.
Breakthrough (2011–2013)
In April 2011, it was announced that Greene had signed to Sub Pop, a label with a long history of nurturing alternative and indie artists. His debut studio album, Within and Without, followed on July 12, 2011, and marked his first major statement as a recording artist. The album peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and No. 89 on the UK Albums Chart, confirming his crossover appeal beyond the blogosphere.
That December, Greene was chosen by Battles to perform at the All Tomorrow’s Parties Nightmare Before Christmas festival in Minehead, England, a curated event that placed him alongside respected peers. His second studio album, Paracosm, arrived on August 13, 2013, led by the singles “It All Feels Right” and “Don’t Give Up.” The record expanded his palette with brighter textures and psychedelic flourishes, drawing further attention from international audiences. Earlier material also reached new ears in 2013, when the song “New Theory” from the Life of Leisure EP was featured in a scene from the film The Spectacular Now.
Continued Evolution (2017–2020)
On May 19, 2017, Washed Out announced dates for his “Get Lost” tour, a run of performances that took place the following July. His third studio album, Mister Mellow, was released on June 30, 2017, and was produced at Stones Throw Records with the help of producer Cole M.G.N. The album deepened his experimental tendencies, weaving together bright pop melodies with collage-like visual accompaniments.
In April 2018, Greene released the single “Face Up” as part of Adult Swim’s Singles Series, a track that pointed toward his next major work. He followed it with “Too Late” in April 2020, then announced on June 30, 2020, that his fourth studio album, Purple Noon, would arrive on August 7, 2020, sharing the single “Time to Walk Away” alongside the announcement. The album further refined the wistful, sun-bleached sound that had become his signature.
Notable Works and Milestones
Greene’s catalog includes the studio albums Within and Without (2011), Paracosm (2013), Mister Mellow (2017), and Purple Noon (2020), along with early EPs that helped launch the chillwave movement. His single “Feel It All Around” remains a touchstone of the genre and gained a second life as the theme for Portlandia, while his use of the song in popular culture helped introduce his sound to a much wider audience.
Recent Work (2024)
During the solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, Washed Out performed his music video for the song “Waking Up” in a single take at Bandera, Texas. The performance was posted to his YouTube channel two months after the eclipse, offering fans an unusual visual counterpart to the track. In May 2024, Greene announced his fifth studio album, Notes from a Quiet Life, and released its first single, “The Hardest Part,” whose video was created with the help of OpenAI’s Sora.
Washed Out Family
Public details about Greene’s immediate family are limited. After completing his education, he moved back in with his parents in Georgia while he began producing music in his bedroom studio, a period of support that coincided with the early development of his career as Washed Out. Beyond this period, verifiable information about his parents or any siblings has not been widely documented.
Personal Life
Greene currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he continues to write, record, and produce music. He has spoken about hip hop’s influence on the way he writes songs, an inspiration that has shaped his sense of rhythm and structure even within the dreamy textures of his electronic productions.