Julien Baker

Julien Rose Baker was born on September 29, 1995, in Germantown, Tennessee, and grew up in Bartlett, Tennessee. Her early musical experiences included playing in a church praise band. Influenced by various genres, from punk and hardcore to metalcore, she co-founded the band the Star Killers in 2010, later renamed Forrister in 2015. Baker attended Middle Tennessee State University, initially studying audio engineering before switching to literature and secondary education. It was during her time at MTSU that she began writing and recording her solo material, never anticipating its widespread reach.

Baker independently released her debut album, “Sprained Ankle,” in 2015. Originally self-recorded and uploaded to Bandcamp, it was later picked up by 6131 Records. The album garnered critical acclaim, appearing on numerous year-end lists and leading to features in publications like The New Yorker and The New York Times. Her nuanced performances, including an NPR Tiny Desk concert in 2016, gained her a following. In 2017, she signed with Matador Records and released her second album, “Turn Out the Lights,” which further solidified her critical success and led to extensive touring, including appearances on “CBS This Morning” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Her third album, “Little Oblivions,” was released in 2021, showcasing a more expansive, full-band sound, and became her first top 40 album on the Billboard 200 chart.

Beyond her solo career, Baker is a member of the indie supergroup Boygenius, alongside Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, which formed in 2018. The group released an eponymous EP and later their debut studio album, “The Record,” in March 2023, which received universal acclaim and earned them several Grammy Awards in 2024. As of February 2024, Boygenius is on hiatus. In 2024, Baker also debuted a country duo with musician TORRES, Julien Baker & Torres, with their debut album “Send a Prayer My Way” scheduled for release in April 2025. She has also collaborated with a range of artists, including Paramore, Hayley Williams, and Death Cab for Cutie.