More about: Phoebe Bridgers

It’s 2016 and a young singer-songwriter from L.A. is holed up in a cabin in Idaho plucking at a guitar and singing a song so far away from it’s final formation that it sounds more like Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’ than the certified hit it would later become. One thing that stayed the same though? The deeply introspective, humorous and haunting lyrics. Lyrics so delicate and devastatingly delivered that the song's final form would connect with millions of listeners and garner critical acclaim across the globe. The song is 'Motion Sickness' and the artist is of course, Phoebe Bridgers. 

Phoebe grew up in a house full of vinyl. Her family's records ranged from Joni Mitchell to Hank Williams, she told Fader magazine. At 13, Carla Azar from the band Autolux would introduce Bridgers to the music of Elliot Smith, who would quickly become a fundamental pat of Phoebe’s rich musical tapestry. Phoebe has noted her love for Smith on several occasions; has visited the ‘Figure 8’ mural multiple times. 

As Phoebe got older, she learned to play the piano and guitar, and after performing just a single verse of her audition, got accepted into Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Her mother would also encourage Bridgers to take up busking which, she told Fader, taught her to relax when performing. 

This would come in handy, as Bridgers would soon be gigging as often as she could, frequenting L.A. venues such The Grand Ole Echo at the Echoplex and The Bootleg. It’s here she would meet her creative collaborator and close friend Harrison Whitford, who would in turn introduce her to (mentor-turned-abusive-partner) Ryan Adams. 

Though the clutch of songs on Killer brought industry attention, it is 'Motion Sickness' - about her experiences with Adams - that propelled her to a more serious form of stardom. On the track Brigers writes with acerbic wit, capturing the emotional disparity of missing an abusive ex perfectly: "I hate you for what you did/and I miss you like a little kid."

The song would become a standout track from her debut album Stranger in the Alps, released on Dead Oceans in 2017. Three years later, and it's on this label that Phoebe would begin her own imprint, Saddest Factory. 

It was a long journey up to Stranger In The Alps, but the three years that followed it came in a blur: Phoebe would soon become part of two successful projects. A collaboration with fellow indie songwriters Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus became supergroup boygenius: releasing a self-titled EP in 2018, the group would combine talents and harmonise beautifully over six devastating tracks.

By now regarded as a critical darling, Bridgers continued to surprise audiences with her 2019 collaboration with Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst as Better Oblivion Community Center. While the two first met at LA’s The Bootleg Theatre when she performed at a secret show hosted by Oberst and he would then collaborate with Bridgers on her debut album, it's as Better Oblivion Community Center that the partnership came to stunning fruition. 

In the autumn of 2019, Bridgers would finish writing and recording her second album Punisher. Once again released on the Dead Oceans label, Punisher is a surrealist, melancholic masterpiece that cements Bridgers as one of the most tenderly prolific songwriters of our era. 

Now, adding to her already seismic body of work, Bridgers launches Saddest Factory. A space for Phoebe's signings, the singer-songwriter will act as CEO, working closely with other artists. Last week, Saddest Factory introduced its first signing in 21 year-old pop artist Claud. 

As a home to Bridgers’ own signings, Saddest Factory gives Bridgers the opportunity to work closely with other artists. “The vision of the label is simple: good songs, regardless of genre” she says. It's just the latest accomplishment in a life filled with them: and she only 26 years-old. 

More about: Phoebe Bridgers