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.
Read about The Record at No. 16 in “The 50 Best Albums of 2023,” and “Not Strong Enough” at No. 32. in “The 100 Best Songs of 2023.” Plus, check out Jill Mapes’ review of the Boygenius’ Madison Square Garden concert, “Boygenius’ Big, Emotional, Gay-as-Hell Night Out at Madison Square Garden.”