Phoebe Bridgers reveals why Lost Weekend took forever

Phoebe Bridgers has finally delivered her third solo record, Lost Weekend, ending a six-year wait for fans. The album’s journey to completion wasn’t just a timeline; it was a testament to the unpredictable nature of creative pursuit.

When asked about the lengthy process behind the record, Bridgers offered a candid reflection on the artistic struggle. She admitted that she didn’t love all parts of being away, but she also explained that the extended gap wasn’t entirely unintentional. “I kept booking studio time and then putting it off…and booking studio time and putting it off, and putting it off,” she shared. “I really wanted to be making something. So I just started going in and then taking six months off and then going back. So this album took forever. Which is great!”

This approach allowed her to build a work that felt authentic rather than rushed. Bridgers aimed for the release campaign to feel less like a marketing blitz and more like an experience happening in real life. To achieve this immersive feeling, she staged unique events, including phone-free listening parties, intimate shows, and specially designed visual presentations at planetariums around the world.

The sound of Lost Weekend is rich with collaborative energy, drawing from her recent work with the bandmates of Boygenius, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, on their critically acclaimed 2023 album, The Record. The album credits feature a wide array of influential figures, including Conor Oberst, her partner Bo Burnham, Jack Antonoff, Alex G, and others.

Adding another layer of intrigue, the record contains a hidden track titled Best Dressed, featuring former Black Country, New Road singer Isaac Wood. This gem is cleverly concealed within the album’s structure, appearing just before the opener The Outside on the CD and as the final track on the vinyl.

Beyond the music itself, the album has sparked widespread speculation among fans regarding its lyrical content, with whispers circulating that tracks like The Governor’s Waltz touch upon Bridgers’ past relationship with Paul Mescal.

Critics have hailed the work as a masterpiece. One review noted that it was “a feat that could only be achieved by a songwriter and musician self-assured in their penmanship and musicality, someone who may have started the journey of writing her third album feeling lost, but by the end wasn’t unmoored at all.”

Bridgers is now bringing this sound to an even wider audience through an upcoming tour. She will kick off with intimate, phone-free UK shows tomorrow at London’s Union Chapel, followed by dates in Kingston, Brighton, and Bristol. This journey is set to expand with ‘The Lost Tour’, launching in North America next month.