Four-time Grammy-winning indie folk singer-songwriter and producer Phoebe Bridgers recently made a return with her new single Lost Boys, following the announcement of her forthcoming album Lost Weekend, due Aug 14 via Dead Oceans.
Marking her first solo project in years, the release arrived on the heels of months of fan speculation and a string of viral pop-up shows.
As her first original release since 2022’s Sidelines, Lost Boys arrived as a poignant reintroduction to Bridgers’s singular artistry, finding the acclaimed singer-songwriter at her most immediate and affecting.
Rarely has a simple “Yeah!” been engineered to put a smile on one’s face so quickly, and its melody highlights the pen behind her forthcoming new album and first solo record in six years.
The video, directed by Lance Oppenheim and Pablo Rochat, sees Bridgers – and cast – participating in Live Action Role Play at a Renaissance faire.
Oscillating between themes of love and loss, her songwriting moves between raw vulnerability and soaring melodies.
Lost Weekend is the first Bridgers album since her multi-Grammy nominated sophomore album Punisher was released at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Much was made of her wise-for-her-years virtuosity when her lauded debut, Stranger in the Alps was released, about a month after the artist’s 23rd birthday.
Punisher was, it seemed, universally praised as something of a promise-made-good-on, a clever, alluring, measured yet thrilling, ultimately very memorable album from an artiste.
Her talent as a songwriter had been suddenly matched by her road-honed band and her richer, more daring accompaniment.
Anyone queuing up Lost Weekend can expect to discover something more remarkable still – Bridgers is still refining many of the motifs that distinguished her work previously on this new album that is otherwise, everywhere, full of surprises.
Before her recent run of viral pop-up shows, Bridgers was last seen on stage with Boygenius, her supergroup alongside best friends Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, collecting multiple Grammy Awards for the trio’s acclaimed 2023 record.
The group took home Best Alternative Music Album, as well as both Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for Not Strong Enough.
Bridgers also emerged as the evening’s most awarded artiste, earning her fourth Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Ghost in the Machine, a feature on SZA’s SOS.
Prior to that, she joined Taylor Swift on a stint of dates for The Eras Tour, following nearly two years on her own Reunion Tour, which featured three sold-out North American legs, 30 European shows and a closing run across South America, Asia and Australia.
Beyond the stage, Bridgers has delivered some filmed performances in recent years, including appearances on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert and Saturday Night Live.
Since her last solo record, she has also released a string of standalone singles, covers and collaborations with Paul McCartney, Muna, Bright Eyes, The 1975, Lorde, Taylor Swift and The National.
Her influence continues to resonate globally, with a combined audience of more than 4.1 million across platforms, including a strong footprint across Asia, with the Philippines and Indonesia ranking among her top 10 global audience markets.
Thus, Lost Boys offers a captivating first glimpse into Bridgers’s long-awaited return.
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