If you’ve spent any time on "Indie Rock TikTok" over the last couple of years, you know the vibes. You’ve seen the blurry concert footage of mid-song kisses, the deep-dive threads analyzing lyrics about Tennessee, and the endless "are they or aren't they" debates.
Honestly, the speculation reached a fever pitch. Fans weren't just curious; they were convinced. And as it turns out, the internet’s collective intuition was actually spot on for once.
Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker dating isn’t just a fan theory anymore—it’s the real deal. After years of keeping things close to the chest, the two musicians finally confirmed what most people already suspected. But the way it came out was much more tender, and a little more complicated, than just a simple Instagram "hard launch."
The Confirmation: Moving Beyond the "Open Secret"
For a long time, the relationship was what you’d call an open secret. If you knew, you knew. But in March 2025, during the press rollout for her album Forever Is a Feeling, Lucy Dacus decided she was done with the "tension of people guessing."
In a massive profile for The New Yorker, journalist Amanda Petrusich plainly stated that the two are in a "committed relationship." Lucy didn't mince words. She told People magazine shortly after, "I can confirm we are dating. We are together. People are right."
It wasn’t a publicity stunt. It was a relief.
Lucy admitted that while she wanted to protect something so precious, she also wanted to make art that was true. You can’t exactly write a whole album about falling in love and then pretend the person doesn’t exist, especially when that person is one of the most recognizable guitarists in indie music.
How It All Started: From "Portrait of a Lady" to Los Angeles
The "meet-cute" for these two is basically a movie script. Back in 2016, a then-unknown Lucy Dacus opened for Julien Baker at a show in Washington, D.C.
Julien reportedly found Lucy backstage reading Portrait of a Lady by Henry James. They hit it off immediately. In a move that sounds straight out of a 90s romance, Lucy allegedly tore a page out of her book to write down her email address for Julien.
They were best friends for nine years before things turned romantic. Lucy has been very vocal about the fact that she can’t really imagine romance without friendship. To her, the two are inextricably linked.
"How are you doing romance without friendship? I can’t imagine. That feels so hollow. It makes me feel ill!" — Lucy Dacus, The New Yorker (2025).
The transition from bandmates to partners happened "percolating" through their time in boygenius. By the time the band wrapped their world tour in 2024, the two had quietly moved into a home together in Los Angeles.
Why Fans Were Obsessed with the Timeline
The internet loves a timeline, and the one for Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker dating is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle.
Some fans pointed to a specific lyric in the song "Lost Time" where Lucy mentions a "60-day chip," which is a reference to sobriety. Since Julien has been public about her journey with recovery, fans immediately clocked the connection.
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Then there was the 2023 Halloween costume. They dressed up as Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande. Usually, when two "best friends" go as a famous couple for Halloween, the writing is on the wall.
Breaking Down the Major Clues:
- The On-Stage PDA: During the 2023-2024 boygenius tour, the "stage kisses" became a staple. While some chalked it up to performance art or "the boys" being close, the chemistry was undeniable.
- "Most Wanted Man in West Tennessee": This track on Lucy’s 2025 album is the smoking gun. Julien is famously from Memphis. Lucy basically admitted the song is for her, saying, "What are you gonna do?"
- The LA Move: Both musicians relocated from their respective homes (Virginia and Nashville) to Los Angeles at the exact same time.
Navigating the "Marvel Universe" of Parasocial Relationships
One thing Lucy has been very honest about is how uncomfortable the "lore" makes her.
She’s referred to the fan obsession as people treating their lives like a "Marvel Universe." It’s a weird spot to be in—being a confessional songwriter who wants to be honest, but also being a human being who doesn't want strangers dissecting your Valentine's Day plans.
(For the record, they spent Valentine's Day 2025 doing "cliché" stuff: rose petals on the floor and dancing in their living room. Lucy called it a "core memory.")
She’s acknowledged that while 99% of fans are respectful, a small handful can make a private life feel "easily threatened." That’s why the confirmation took so long. They needed to know that their relationship was "not actually fragile" before letting the world in on it.
What This Means for boygenius
Naturally, everyone wants to know: Does this mean the band is over? Or does it mean they’ll be together forever?
Right now, boygenius is on what they call an "indefinite hiatus." They finished their massive run in 2024 and went back to their solo worlds. Phoebe Bridgers is out here being a "professional third wheel" (her words!), even posting a photo of the three of them where she blurred her own face out and drew a heart around Lucy and Julien.
The consensus seems to be that the hiatus was planned long before the relationship went public. They wanted to protect their friendship and their individual energies.
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As of early 2026, both are busy with their own tours. Julien has been working on a project with TORRES called Send A Prayer My Way, and Lucy is touring Forever Is a Feeling. They’re doing the long-distance thing while on the road, which is basically the "final boss" of musician relationships.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following the journey of Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker dating, here is how to engage with the news and the music responsibly:
- Listen to Forever Is a Feeling: If you want the real "story," it's in the lyrics. Lucy has explicitly stated that this album is her most honest work regarding her feelings for Julien.
- Respect the "Lore" Boundaries: While they have confirmed they are together, they still value privacy. Avoid speculating on "overlap" or past relationships involving their former partners (like Jacob Blizard), as these are real people, not fictional characters.
- Support the Solo Projects: The best way to show love for the "boys" is to support their individual art. Whether it's Julien’s collaborations or Lucy’s solo tour, their relationship thrives when their individual careers do too.
The reality is that these two have found something rare in the music industry: a partnership built on a decade of friendship and creative respect. Whether they ever record as boygenius again or just keep dancing in their living room in LA, they’ve made it clear that what they have is "precious" and, most importantly, true.
Check out the latest tour dates for Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker on their official websites to see if they'll be performing in your city soon.