Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Allyson Johnson | Pajiba 10 | December 11, 2023
A certain "me" problem is my penchant for being attracted to people who look like they could use a good nap. Jeremy Allen White in The Bear scratches that itch -- "I'm one minor mistake away from an emotional breakdown" hair and tired eyes really do it for me. Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black? Same deal, same energy, the frenzied, barely contained buzz of someone right on the edge of holding their sh** together.
Enter Julien Baker, bursting with a similar type of sleepless energy that I positively yearn for. Maybe she gets a healthy eight hours. Still, there's no denying the essence she embodies.
Before the chorus of "who," be mindful that Julien Baker is one of our greatest modern musicians who, with three solo albums and two Boygenius records, has carved out a distinctive sound wholly her own. A born shredder with howling vocals laced with the type of raw honesty that sinks its teeth into you, her albums are works of art that traverse the pain of addiction, sexuality, and the intersection with faith, love, death, and all that falls in between. She's also very hot, an undeniable queer icon for the indie music scene.
My word, there's something about Julien Baker that captivates little ol' bisexual me. I'm not the only one entirely under her spell; there's a horde of individuals online who dedicate themselves to the energy she emanates. The tattoos, the way she carries herself, the one time she wore her hair up at a concert and her fans turned rabid, it all builds to this lovely figure who is both so far removed from the typical fame archetype and yet somehow also the perfect modern interpretation of the female rock star.
She's unassumingly edgy, possessing a femininely sweet voice that towers and stuns in live performances. In her third studio album, Little Oblivions, she plays all of the instruments on the record herself and sings lines that ache with the inevitability of self-destruction, such as in "Heatwave" (a personal favorite), "I was on a long spiral down/ Before I make it to the ground / I'll wrap Orion's belt around my neck/ And kick the chair out."
Listen to her song "Appointments" off of Turn Out The Lights and try not to be stunned into silence as her vocals reach their crescendo, wailing with vibrato. Her first album, Sprained Ankle, is open and honest to the point of voyeurism as we're delivered an emotional, bruised, and bloody package of hard truths and tougher revelations. Her music is the beating heart that drives us towards her. While her work in Boygenius alongside Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers is what has catapulted her to wider fame that includes more extensive tours, audiences, and Grammy nominations, it's her first three albums that established her name to long-term fans. This is an artist destined to go the distance.
But beyond her musicality and ability to weave heartbreaking lyrics with devastating, acidic wit, she's also become a particular definition of millennial cool. She's a thinker rocker who peppers in Joan Didion quotes to songs about nearly dying from accidental drowning. The song "Anti-Curse," from Boygenius's The Record, is also a certified headbanger with a heavy guitar that any fan could pinpoint as a Baker creation. All three of them are book lovers, with Baker recommending ones such as The Incendiaries, Exit West, The God of Small Things, Stay and Fight, and many more throughout countless interviews.
She's featured on songs from groups such as Frightened Rabbit (her cover of their song "Modern Leper" will cleave your heart in two) to Paramore, is a fan of groups such as Mewithoutyou and Every Time I Die, but is also a fan of SZA. These literary and musical influences shine throughout her musicality without ever stripping her distinctive voice.
And again, she's also just attractive. My neighbor and I share a mutual, uh, respect for Baker both as an artist as well as someone we think has a lovely face. And arms. Our texts have devolved into photos of others pining over the singer, poorly masking our obvious crushes on her. We've even gotten to the point where our TikTok algorithms see us clearly for who we are, and now we have countless fan-made edits of Baker running around on stage. Our conversation on Instagram is full of pictures of Julien Baker, be it her at the GQ Men of the Year Awards or the one of her and Lucy Dacus dressed up as Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande.
While Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers are both definite talents, Baker is the heart of the band. She's hot, talented, and possesses the grungy, embattled edge with piercing vocals, and she will make you feel so, so much, and deserves any greater spotlight she falls under. My friend saw that I started the day by listening to Julien Baker on repeat sent a little note asking if I was alright. Which is very kind but also how else would I start my day?
