PHOEBE BRIDGERS: What makes the songwriter so relatable?
28-year-old Pasadena native Phoebe Bridgers has become a prevalent name in the indie scene over the last several years as one of its most prominent writers, but what is so special about her pen work?
I've been a fan of Phoebe Bridgers for the last couple of years now, and one thing that has always been interesting to me about the singer/songwriter is how she can convey emotion and reach the listener on a deeper level of understanding through her songwriting. But what makes her writing so different and engaging from her peers? What about her style makes her stand out? Today, I would like to dissect the songwriter's lyrics to be able to show what's so special about her craft.
"I think Phoebe Bridgers' listeners embrace her so much because they feel like they're being fed reality." - Youtuber The Indie Music Lab.
Bridgers lyrically tends to operate around several themes within her music, those themes being: Isolation, loss, heartbreak, personal conflict, and societal decay.
All of these are general factors that the majority of people have or are experiencing at any given moment in their life, and that attribute goes toward how relatable her lyricism is. These are topics that are often reviewed in many writers' works though, so what makes her any more different from the rest?
What makes her stand out is the amount of detail she puts into her writing surrounding these ideas. For example, we'll look at the final track off her 2020 sophomore project, Punisher, that track being I Know The End.
I Know The End open's up with a hushed synth line and a melancholy guitar melody as the backdrop to Phoebe's first verse, which goes as follows:
"Somewhere in Germany, but I can't place it
Man, I hate this part of Texas
Close my eyes, fantasize
Three clicks and I'm home."
Punisher was released amidst the early days of the infamous COVID-19 Pandemic, a time when many spent their days at home, in their bedroom on their computer, isolated during a period of societal decay. Bridgers reiterates that idea, describing what seems to be her spending time on Google maps, bored traveling the world through her screen. What is so prominent about this is that Bridgers is incredibly specific with her writing. It isn't so broad or suspended. Bridgers discusses a topic that she is aware almost everybody can relate to, even if it's a small detail such as this. Her focus on the small aspects of everyday life, the things you wouldn't pay attention to or would think others would, is what makes her so special, and that is continued in the verse here:
"When I get back I'll lay around
Then I'll get up and lay back down
Romanticize a quiet life
There's no place like my room."
Although maybe not as specific as going through Google maps on another mindless pandemic day, Bridgers continues to build on the world she first created, and rather than writing about a specific action, she builds on the emotions which are garnered from it. By describing the comfort within the boredom of her bedroom, Phoebe is now using language to tackle a broader theme of isolation and boredom. Her focus on something so specific initially hooks the listener in though, creating an understanding between her and them, allowing her to build off her concept. A majority of writers simply begin and continue vaguely talking about a subject within their music, which separates Phoebe, as she pinpoints moments within the human experience as a means of delivering the same ideas.
Another song that I think is a prime example of how Bridgers can convey a sense of relatability is the first single off of Punisher, and that is Garden Song.
Garden Song is a tribute to growing up and the experiences that make you mature as you grow older. Bridgers, here, sings about the experiences which led her to where she is today, and how they have led her to become a more mature soul. What Phoebe does here is one of my favorite highlights of her writing: her simple use of language.
In the first run-through of the chorus, Phoebe states:
"I don't know when you got taller
See our reflection in the water
Off a bridge at the Huntington
I hopped the fence when I was 17
Then I knew what I wanted."
This chorus is the first instance of her using the idea of getting taller as a metaphor for aging and maturing, but our focus is on those last two lines. Bridgers, who we have covered enjoys discussing everyday topics as a form of communicating emotion to the listener and does so again here by describing youthful moments such as hopping fences as a delinquent teen. What is special about this is that Bridgers uses language to be direct with her notions, putting it in simple terms so the listener has an easier time understanding the landscape she is putting down onto paper. She isn't using larger-than-life terminology to deliver this idea, and that pairs in with what she often is describing: simple. What makes Phoebe such a brilliant Writer is that she keeps her writing simple and to the point. She isn't trying to mislead the listener with her ideas.
A final song I would like to look at is Bridgers' largest song to date: Motion Sickness, off of her debut project, Stranger In The Alps.
Motion Sickness to me is the perfect culmination of the previous two points, as it is descriptive while simple and relevant to the song's themes and nature. Motion Sickness is a song about an older man Bridgers was once entangled with and describes to the listener her experiences and emotions throughout their relationship, and how she tries to move on through heartbreak. There are two lyrics in this song that I believe truly highlight Bridger's capabilities as a writer, and that is:
"I hate you for what you did
And I miss you like a little kid."
Earlier this year, these lyrics went viral on the giant social media platform, Tik Tok, and have now been used in over 75,000 videos by users. The lyrics have resonated with people globally due to their simplicity. These lyrics are more open for interpretation than others, as they are the opening two lines of the song, but it is clear that they insinuate a relationship with someone older, and show an internalized conflict. A lot of people have found comfort in this, and have used it as a reflection of their relationships with the older people in their lives, such as parents, partners, siblings, friends, etc. Even though these lyrics initially are a little more open for the listener, they still insinuate a concept in which people have found comfort in. It's a key example of her songwriting at play because of how many people were able to relate to her lyricism and is a prime example of how she makes her music easy to understand and relate to for the listener.
The key to success for Phoebe Bridgers is simplicity, whether that comes in the form of simple use of language or simple (but unexpected) descriptions of day-to-day life. These aspects, when merged, make for the perfect recipe for success, and make for one of the most compelling writers of today's music scene.
Listen to more from Phoebe Bridgers here:
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