Phoebe Bridgers has shared the official video for her latest song, “Sidelines.” The track was written for Hulu’s new series, Conversations with Friends, based on the novel by Sally Rooney.
“Sidelines” is Bridgers’ first new original release since her 2020 album Punisher. It comes on the heels of an acoustic version of “Chinese Satellite” she released to celebrate Secretly Canadian’s 25th anniversary. In true Phoebe Bridgers fashion, “Sidelines” is a melancholy musing on love, loss and longing. The swell of the piano and soft violins make it seem like Bridgers had been sleepwalking through life before she met the person she’s singing about. She admits to not being afraid of plane crashes or dying in a fire, and proclaims she used to “watch the world from the sidelines / Had nothing to prove / Till you came into my life / Gave me something to lose.”
The video mirrors the same sheer devotion as it flits between shots of Bridgers performing in the studio and scenes from Conversations with Friends. In just four minutes, the video gives you a glimpse into a complex love story that seems to be overflowing with emotion and intensity. Bridgers’ wistful single serves as the perfect soundtrack to the yearning glances, fevered kisses and tear-filled breakdowns.
Bridgers is currently on tour in North America and will head to Europe in July.
You can check out the video for “Sidelines” below, along with Bridgers’ 2017 Paste Studio session.
