Boygenius won big at the 2024 Grammys before the official show even started. The trio won Best Alternative Music Album with The Record. Additionally, “Not Strong Enough” won both Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. Aside from their absolutely adorable matching white suit red carpet moment, they had a special addition to their outfits.
Basically, if you heard that supergroup Boygenius — formed by Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker — is going on hiatus and are heartbroken, it’s totally OK, because same. The trio nodded to their forthcoming separation with a pink carnation flower on their lapel, and I’m seriously unwell over it. Oh, and the internet is too.
This harkens back to the song “We’re In Love” which was penned by Dacus as an ode to her bandmates on their Grammy-winning The Record. The pink carnation also signifies gratitude as the band will go on hiatus after tonight’s show. The lyrics go, “In the next one, will you find me? / I’ll be the boy with the pink carnation / Pinned to my lapel, who looks like hell and asks for help / And if you do, I’ll know it’s you.” The pink carnation is also a nod to the musician Elliot Smith, who has been cited by Boygenius as a huge inspiration for their own music.
Boygenous isn’t breaking up on bad terms, however. The band announced their “indefinite hiatus” at a private show in Los Angeles on Feb. 2. At the show, Lucy Dacus said, “We’re going away for the foreseeable future,” despite the massive success of the band in 2023 (and continuing to 2024). The representatives for the group also confirmed the break to Pitchfork.
The breakup likely has something to do with Dacus, Bridgers, and Baker’s desires to work on their solo music for a while. And while none of their camps have confirmed new projects, I know I’ll be eagerly awaiting for the new music to drop.
Additionally, below the pink carnation sits a red pin with a palm and a heart within the hand. This is a pin with the logo for Artists4Ceasfire. On their website, many artists, actors, musicians, and beyond signed a letter to President Biden demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, in response to the current unrest in the Middle Ea. Aside from Boygenius, the likes of Drake, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, and many others have signed the letter.
In regard to both of the pins, it was great to see Boygenius nod to the things that are important to them, as well as the causes they continue to advocate for. Here’s to hoping that we see the trio reunite in the near future.