FEATURE:
Without You Without Them
IN THIS PHOTO: Phoebe Bridgers (left), Lucy Dacus (right) and Julien Baker (bottom) have announced that boygenius is going on an indefinite hiatus/PHOTO CREDIT: Hobbes Ginsberg for The New York Times
Reacting to the News of boygenius’ Indefinite Hiatus
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YOU get bands who go on hiatus…
and artists that step away and take time out for various reasons. One of my favourite groups out there, boygenius, have announced they are to go on hiatus for the foreseeable future. Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus have their own solo careers, but they are at their best when together. Because last year’s the record was such a brilliant album (and one of my favourite from 2023), it is quite sad that the supergroup are taking some time away. I think many were looking forward to a second studio album from them this year maybe. Pitchfork reported on the news that the beloved trio are on hiatus for the foreseeable future:
“Boygenius played two acoustic sets last night at the Smell in downtown Los Angeles. During the shows, they said, “We’re going away for the foreseeable future,” and Boygenius’ representatives confirmed to Pitchfork that the group is going hiatus.
Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus formed Boygenius in 2018, sharing their self-titled debut EP that year. The trio was relatively inactive in the years that followed, with each member releasing a solo album of her own: Bridgers issued Punisher in 2020; Baker released Little Oblivions in February 2021; and Dacus shared Home Video in June 2021.
Boygenius made their triumphant return last year with their debut album, The Record, and a companion EP, The Rest. The full-length got nominated for Album of the Year, Best Alternative Music Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, at the 2024 Grammy Awards. In addition, the single “Not Strong Enough” got nods for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance, while “Cool About It” is up for Best Alternative Music Performance. The Grammys take place on Sunday, February 4, in Los Angeles.
I am going to finish off with a playlist of boygenius’ best songs and deep cuts. I can understand why boygenius might want some time away and are keeping the reason a bit secret. They have their own solo careers to think about, though we hope this is not the end. So incredible is their connection and live performances, fans of the trio hope that they come back together again. Tomorrow in Los Angeles, we will discover if they walk away with a GRAMMY. That might be one of the final public outings for them as a trio for a long time. Though the boys are going to be, as many have punned, out of town for a while, let’s hope that they will be roaring back, Thin Lizzy-style, very soon. Their political and social awareness. How they stand up for the lights of others (especially the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community) and their conscientiousness is much needed. Their sisterhood and strength! Together with their combined musical brilliance makes them such a standout act. I have loved them since they released their self-titled E.P. in 2018. Their latest E.P., the rest, came out late last year. I think a lot of people that after the record came out, that there would be extensive touring and follow-up. I predicted they would be at Glastonbury this year – which I guess can’t possibly happen now. With such an amazing album up there, maybe many were looking ahead to future music. They could well be back but, as boygenius have been together for a long time, it is understandable they will want to do their own thing for a bit.
I am a particular big fan of Phoebe Bridgers, so it would be great to see a follow-up to 2020’s remarkable Punisher. Lucy Dacus put Home Video out on 2021. Julien Baker put out Little Oblivions in 2021. All three albums possibly rank as their best solo efforts. When combined for boygenius, something even more remarkable was released last year. There is no denying that Baker, Dacus and Bridgers are among the best and most consistent songwriters of their generation. Artists who are hugely important and have their own fanbases. I will look to see how they progress and move through this year. Everyone hopes that boygenius can come back together in the coming years. It is clear that there is a love of love between them, so there is no sense of them breaking up or wanting to go in different directions. It is fantastic to have had them in music. The best modern-day supergroup and, more than that, three like-minded but different artists who work together beautifully and harmoniously. If it is the end for boygenuius, we can cherish the peerless music they have given us. If there is more sometime in the future, it is definitely something to hold onto. It is clear that the music scene will never be quite as special and distinct…
WITHOUT them.