After five long years of waiting, Boygenius shocked their fans with the news of an upcoming album. The band, composed of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, announced their new record on Jan. 18 via an Instagram post.
The album, named “The Record,” is currently slotted to release on March 31. It will be their first official album. Fans, however, received a taste of their new music with the early release of four songs: “$20”, “True Blue,” “Emily, I’m Sorry” and “Not Strong Enough.”
Baker, Bridgers and Dacus: the band’s beginnings
The band first formed in the summer of 2018. Baker acted as the link between the group. Being longtime friends with both Bridgers and Dacus, she threw out the possibility of a band offhandedly. Seeing the idea’s merit and the chance for a successful collaboration between three of indie rock’s most influential artists, the three eventually came together to begin creating.
Their self-titled EP, “Boygenius”, dropped on Oct. 26, 2018. Composed of six songs, including the group’s most popular—“Souvenir”—the record received acclaim from fans and music critics alike. Following this release, Pitchfork Music Critic, Dayna Evans, praised the group for their inventive collaboration and refusal to bend to stereotypes.
The EP is “a blueprint for how to do a supergroup right: elevate each other’s individual talents, seamlessly blend your distinct-but-simpatico genres, and sing like hell together in lung-shattering harmony,” said Evans.
After the EP’s success, fans waited expectantly for news of more music.
The boys are back
After five long years, Boygenius supporters were pleasantly surprised when the group deleted all content from their Instagram account. Soon after, they announced their upcoming album.
Shortly following the Jan. 18. Instagram post came the release of a Rolling Stones photoshoot and interview featuring all three artists. Shot by photographer Ryan Pfluger, the photos acted as a nod to one of music’s past greats: Nirvana. The three artists replicated Nirvana’s iconic 1984 Rolling Stones cover, down to the sharp suits, challenging stares and the same tendency to break musical conventions. Baker, Bridgers and Dacus, however, put their own twist on the photos.
Although decked out in class suits, fashion designer and stylist Jared Ellner and vintage fashion specialist Alexandra Mitchell added clusters of pins to the shoulders of each woman. The pins, upon closer inspection, represent the artists’ solo work with references to their individual songs.
When it came to the outdoor portion of the photo shoot, Baker, Bridgers and Dacus once again portrayed a specific Nirvana artist—Baker as Dave Grohl, Bridgers as Kurt Cobain and Dacus as Krist Novoselic. Wearing colorful tops and skirts reminiscent of Nirvana’s cover, but with each woman’s individual flare shining through, the band created a playful ode to some of their inspirations.
Following the interview and album announcement, Boygenius played two of their new songs live: “Not Strong Enough” and “Cool About It”. They also dropped a music video for “Not Strong Enough”; it features a home video aesthetic with film presumably shot by the three musicians while on a road trip.
Julien Baker
Julien Baker began her musical career at a young age, playing in a band at her church every week. She then slowly began delving into the punk music scene in Memphis, Tennessee—near the suburb where she grew up.
By 2015, as a Middle Tennessee State University student, she released her debut album, “Sprained Ankle.” Complete with nine songs, the album boosted Baker’s popularity and helped pave the way for her the release of her next two albums: “Turn Out The Lights” and “Little Oblivions.” The two albums received Pitchfork ratings of 8.6 and 7.6, respectively, with “Turn Out the Lights” receiving a nod as some of the best new music of the year.
All three albums deal heavily with religious reckonings, battling addiction and mental health issues. The singer/songwriter/composer is well-known for her openness to her own personal issues and how they translate into her music.
Some of her most popular songs include “Go Home,” “Appointments” and “Faith Healer.”
Lucy Dacus
Lucy Dacus’s music career took off in March 2015 with the release of her first single: “I Don’t Wanna be Funny Anymore”. Since her first hit and first album—“No Burden”—Dacus has created two more albums and three EPs. Both albums, “Historian” and “Home Video,” released in 2018 and 2021, received a warm welcome.
Music critic, Angie Martoccio, praised Dacus’s songwriting in a Rolling Stones review of “Home Video”.
“It’s the kind of sharp storytelling songwriters spend a lifetime trying to accomplish, and yet Dacus […] is doing it at just 26 years old,” said Martoccio.
Many of Dacus’s songs center around ideas of mortality, complex relationships and nostalgia. Similarly to Baker, her music also unpacks spirituality and growing up religious.
Some of her most popular songs include “Night Shift,” “Hot and Heavy,” and “Kissing Lessons.” Most recently, on March 8, 2023, Dacus released a music video for “Night Shift.”
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers rose to fame after releasing her first single, “Killer,” in 2015. This song acted as the springboard for her career, and she quickly began gaining popularity. She released her first album, “Stranger in the Alps,” in 2017. This album received a 7.0 rating from Pitchfork and was added to Bridgers’s fanbase.
Since the release of the “Boygenius” EP in 2018, Bridgers dropped her sophomore album: “Punisher.” Released in 2020, this album received critical acclaim from fans and music critics alike. Pitchfork music reviewers rated the album at 8.7 and named it some of the year’s best new music.
That same year, Bridgers received four nominations for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. She was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album for “Punisher.” Her hit single “Kyoto” also garnered recognition, securing nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Although she did not win in any of the categories, the indie rock artist’s career only continues to gain traction.
Some of Bridgers’s biggest hits include “I Know The End,” “Motion Sickness” and “Scott Street.”
“Summer’s in your blood”: what to expect in the next coming months
Although “The Record” is set to drop on March 31, a global listening event will be held on March 28 in specific record stores. Fans worldwide can head to their local record stores to get a first taste of the powerhouse band’s first official album.
Additionally, Baker, Bridgers and Dacus will begin touring on April 15, 2023. They are set to perform at a variety of festivals and concerts as part of a Re: SET Concert Series. They will share the stage with Clairo, Dijon and Bartees Strange. Afterward, Boygenius will head abroad for the European leg of their tour.
