In an industry saturated with male artists that are constantly being reminded of their greatness, female musicians are often overlooked and lumped together, especially when it comes to the indie rock genre. Luckily for us, musicians Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker set out to defy the unspoken constraints of their corner of the music industry; and in the process, created something spectacular: a band called Boygenius. Now, almost six years after their formation and original EP release, the supergroup is back and better than ever with the announcement of their album, The Record. If you’re someone that hadn’t heard of Boygenius back when their EP was first released, then look no further! I’ve put together a timeline of events to help you get caught up before The Record comes out.
2016
In 2016, recently established indie rock artist Julien Baker was on tour for her debut album, Sprained Ankle. Two of the artists opening for her were none other than Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, also sporting debut releases of their own, titled Daytrotter Session and No Burden, respectively. Baker became close friends with both artists, eventually introducing them to one another and forming a tight-knit friend group.
2018
As the band members became closer friends, they shared their frustration in being constantly compared to each other, even when the only thing similar about their music was that it was made by women. Dacus described it best in an interview with Vogue when she said “The fact that we’re women is kind of the most boring that I could think of,” saying it shouldn’t be a surprise that women are capable of making rock music.
The three friends decided to book a co-headlining tour in early 2018, and originally just wanted to record a single or a cover to play together at their shows. However, after meeting up in LA they found themselves completely inspired. They each took a completed song and one they were working on, and ended up forming the band, recording, and self-producing their self-titled EP in four days, a process that involved almost exclusively women.
They named their band Boygenius to poke fun at the male artists in the music industry that are constantly told they’re “geniuses,” full of bravado and self-assurance. As they didn’t have a lot of time to create their first record, in the studio they would tell each other to “be the boy genius” and act with confidence in their creative decisions, and eventually, the name stuck. Even the cover is a reference to “boy geniuses,” as it’s heavily inspired by the Crosby, Stills & Nash album cover, the debut of one of rock’s first-ever supergroups.
One might think that because their EP was put together in less than a week that it would be weak or sloppy but in reality, it’s the opposite. The Boygenius EP is nothing short of immaculate. Chock full of gut-wrenching lyrics, breathtaking harmonies, and impressive bass riffs, the members of Boygenius released what is, in my opinion, one of the best musical works of all time. Each of the songs are individuals with the ability to stand on their own, while also flowing and connecting together seamlessly. It’s nothing short of magic.
2020
After the release of her sophomore album Punisher, Bridgers sent her bandmates a demo of a new song titled “Emily I’m Sorry” asking, “Can we be a band again?” The three members started writing songs individually that would eventually be shared and improved together.
2021
Throughout the years, Boygenius hadn’t released any more music for the group or done any more performances together. Instead, they brought each other out as guests at their concerts and included their bandmates in backing vocals on their solo albums (for example, Dacus’ “Going Going Gone” off of her album Home Video). Then finally, in 2021, the members of Boygenius came together to play a benefit concert for a San Francisco nonprofit called Bread & Roses, and rumors started to swirl about a possible reunion.
In January of 2023, they announced their first album, The Record. They also appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in true Boygenius fashion, with a Nirvana-inspired photoshoot and an interview full of heart and humor. Along with the announcement of their album came the release of three singles, each written by a different member of the band: “Emily I’m Sorry,” “$20” and “True Blue.”
2023
I think these singles are the most interesting of their whole discography so far because of how personalized they are to their writers. With the songs on their EP, you’d be able to tell who wrote if you were a fan of all three artists; but there’s still a sense of a collaboration of styles in each song. In the singles for The Record, however, each song is done mainly in the unique style of its author, and the distinction is simple. Bridgers’ “Emily I’m Sorry” is psychedelic and breathy, and carries a distinct Punisher-like guitar strum and backbeat; Dacus’ “True Blue” has her signature steady beat and rich feeling, coupled with the same introspective lyricism used on her album Home Video; Baker’s “$20” is the biggest tonal shift from the band’s EP yet, with a bold bass line and a pop-punk feel, while still hanging on to her signature lyric style. One factor that might have contributed to the more individualistic nature of these songs is the fact that they were all written separately while in quarantine. Either way, this first sneak peek makes up a promising start to the album and has listeners excited for what’s to come.
The members of Boygenius, along with the band itself, represent something extremely important, especially in the world of the arts. Three women who respect, care for and listen to each other while simultaneously carving a space for themselves in a genre that only cares about what men have to say. Both of their works are female-led in almost every aspect, something that makes the message they set out to spread that much more impactful.
Their album, The Record, is set to release on March 31 of this year, with their tour starting in April at Coachella and continuing through the summer.
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