boygenius on ‘the record,’ ‘the film’

It was a Thursday night at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, hours away from the global release of boygenius’ debut album “the record” and its accompanying short film, “the film,” directed by Kristen Stewart. Passionate fans rounded the corner, eagerly awaiting the band’s arrival as the smell of vegan fried goodness wafted from the Monty’s Good Burger food truck parked outside.

Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers emerged arm-in-arm from a shiny stretch limo in matching all-black attire. It was clear from the moment they set foot on the red carpet that they functioned as a unit; they were inseparable, yet distinctly individual.

In the theater, the audience teemed with excitement as Kristen Stewart was brought to the stage to give her opening remarks.

“It was a knock-out, fall-down honor to be asked to try and distill the incredible firework show that pops off when these three come together,” Stewart said. “It felt like a fever dream making this thing, and I imagined if you got to step into what feels like their shared consciousness, that you might feel pretty on fucking fire too.”

And with that, the film began, as the audience was introduced to the three boys in their respective bedrooms, preparing for bed. Throughout “the film,” viewers are guided through the subconscious of each band member, a pastiche of intimate glances into the complicated inner workings of some of the defining musicians of this generation. Each of the members experienced their own visualization, yet in the end, they always seemed to find each other.

Whether it be blood oaths, arson or paint-covered make-out sessions, the film’s lush imagery and well-integrated motifs effectively communicate the unconditional love that bonds this group together.

Their connection was instantaneous and undeniable. 

“I thought immediately when we all started hanging out, that the plan was always to make a full-length album. I was like ‘This will just be a part of my life. This is part of my five-year plan,’” Bridgers said.“From the day that we were in a room together, we were a band.”  

For boygenius, the music and their friendship provide them with a healthy, loving support system, and it’s clear that since their union, they have each grown as a result.

That day, Baker was celebrating 10 years of releasing music, and reflected on how much she’s changed since her first band The Star Killers released their debut album on March 30, 2013.

“I was listening back to that record today, and I was like, ‘Holy moly, this kid had a lot of feelings and needed to communicate them,’” Baker said. “It’s my first groping attempt at making something, and I stuck with it long enough as a craft because of what I get out of the practice of music and the magic of sound. But I also stuck with it because of the avenue it provides me to feel understood by other people.”

It is abundantly clear just how close the band has gotten since it formed five years ago. In the time since their initial EP release in 2018, they’ve evolved from a group into one, united by the symbiotic nature of their relationship. 

“If you show up, that’s a life lived together,” Dacus said. “And we do that for each other, we just share space and learn more and allow each other to support each other and feel humiliated by each other.”

Their rapport is truly one to behold, it’s as if they had been led to each other by some divine force, and it’s magnificent. Not only is this kind of camaraderie hard to come across, but it’s also rare to have the chance to develop a physical, tangible embodiment of this shared love. 

“I finally know what a ‘Horcrux’ is, so this record is like a good ‘Horcrux.’ It’s like you took all the positive energy and now I can’t experience it — the writing process and the creative process with the record and the learning process — as separate,” Baker said. “I almost said [it was] magic, and I made myself say something less genuine, so I wanted to edit it and say magic.”

This magic is why fans love boygenius as much as they do.

“It’s just kind of incredible to see … three real people making genuine real work that means a lot to them,” said Chloe Flaherty, a fan of boygenius. 

When introducing the film, Kristen Stewart admitted that she “wish[ed she] had them to look up to as a kid,” and it’s easy to understand why. boygenius is a beacon of hope for those of us who haven’t yet found what they have been so lucky to find within each other. Their music lets listeners become active participants in their shared narrative, with an outstanding vulnerability that makes audiences feel seen, heard and loved.

“If I find a relationship that’s so creatively and intimately fulfilling, like it seems [that] they have, that’s all I could ever ask for,” said Addie Alaimo, another fan of the band.

Finally, boygenius imparted their wisdom for their loyal audience of young creatives:

Phoebe Bridgers: Love it. Not like love making art, it’s hell … If you’re not a huge fan of what you’re making, then you’re going to disagree with the people who like it … If it’s fun for you to listen to or watch or whatever you’re doing, then you’ll find people who are like you who like it. I love this band, so if anybody doesn’t like it, I’m like, ‘you’re a bitch.’

Lucy Dacus: Also, a good thing about loving it is that you don’t have to rely on being satisfied by where you get with it. If you don’t like it when you’re sleeping on floors, you won’t like it when you’re in a bus … If it’s feeling like it is draining your energy and not that fun, find something else to do.

Julien Baker: I think that sometimes it’s easy to feel discouraged because you’re demanding recognition for something that feels unsure and that is precious and valuable to you. But that’s what makes it, you know what I mean?