Kristen Stewart directs Boygenius’ queer new music video – and fans are ‘not OK’
Indie supergroup boygenius have released their Kristen Stewart-directed music video ‘The Film’ – and fans have been left emotionally bereft.
boygenius, the powerhouse pop group made up of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, released a 14-minute video featuring visuals for three tracks, “$20”, “Emily I’m Sorry”, and “True Blue”, on Friday (31 March).
The tracks all feature on the group’s debut album The Record – also released on Friday – while ‘The Film’ focuses on one band member per song.
Bridgers stands in a muddy monster truck stadium for “Emily I’m Sorry”, Baker runs around a rural home and works on a junk car in “$20”, while “True Blue” aptly features Dacus painting a house blue with the help of her bandmates.
Fans have reacted particularly strongly to the “True Blue” portion of the video, where Bridgers and Dacus and then Bridgers and Baker have, for want of a better phrase, a good old snog.
“I’m not okay” one fan wrote, next to a screenshot of Bridgers and Dacus kissing.
Another wrote: “This took twenty years off my life but in a good way,” in response to the video.
“It’s a big day for sad gay people (me)” another wrote.
how to keep going through life after witnessing a masterpiece
— Jasmine (@jasmine_z7) March 31, 2023
GOOD DAY TO BE GAY
— maddie (@maddiedenise) March 31, 2023
For many fans, the real punch to the sapphic sensibilities is the fact that the music video was directed by queer icon and Twilight star Kristen Stewart.
“Kristen Stewart convincing boygenius to make out with each other for a movie is so me when I was 5 and made my Barbies kiss,” one user hilariously wrote.
Another added: “Boygenius & Kristen Stewart: you will be receiving an invoice from my therapist.”
Introducing ‘The Film’ at its premiere on Thursday (30 March), Kristen Stewart said of boygenius: “It was a knockout, fall-down honor to be asked to try to distill the incredible fireworks show that pops up when these three come together… I wish I had them to look up to when I was a kid.”
boygenius, who recently announced US tour dates, have also seen their debut LP The Record met with warm reactions from critics and fans alike, with the album earning a 8.2 on music site Pitchfork.
One fan called the album “beautiful in the most heartbreaking ways.”
The Record by boygenius is out now.