Did Phoebe Bridgers Shade Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal on Her New Album? Here’s Why Fans Think So

Phoebe Bridgers has set social media abuzz with evocative lyrics from her upcoming record, Lost Weekend. Listeners are parsing every line of the haunting track “The Governor’s Waltz,” convinced the singer is subtly addressing her former fiancé, Paul Mescal, and his current partner, pop sensation Gracie Abrams.

As noted in early critiques, including a pre-release analysis by The Guardian, the boygenius musician delivers a pointed couplet near the conclusion of the melancholic song: “And she can pretend to be me / Since she took my place in my bed on that stage / I have not lost any sleep.”

While the majority of the track serves as an introspective post-mortem on the dissolution of her romance with Mescal—with poignant admissions like, “You deserved better, you wanted me… So, let’s see how long we can go without talking / Watch me pretending to sleep”—this specific reference to a romantic successor has become the focal point of intense online speculation.

The Backstory

Bridgers and the acclaimed Irish actor were romantically linked from roughly 2020 to 2022, reportedly becoming engaged before calling it quits—a sentiment the singer appears to corroborate on the title track of Lost Weekend with the line, “I’m supposed to be married, but I called it off.” By 2024, Mescal and Abrams were frequently seen together, eventually establishing a residence in London. Abrams has since spoken candidly about their grounded relationship while promoting her chart-topping album, Daughter From Hell.

Meanwhile, Bridgers is in a long-term relationship with musical comedian Bo Burnham, who notably co-wrote “The Governor’s Waltz.” Before these dynamics shifted, Bridgers and Abrams shared a warm acquaintance, frequently crossing paths at industry events and supporting Taylor Swift as co-openers on the Eras Tour.

Decoding the Clues

Abrams has long professed her admiration for Bridgers, recently praising her as “the writer of our generation” during an appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast. This mutual history makes the lyric “she can pretend to be me” particularly striking to followers.

Furthermore, internet sleuths quickly connected “she took my place in my bed on that stage” to a shared piece of nostalgia: both artists previously bonded over identical rocket-ship-patterned bedsheets back in 2017. Years later, Abrams incorporated those exact sheets into the intimate B-stage set design of her Secret of Us Tour.

Fans across X (formerly Twitter) were swift to connect the dots, with one user noting side-by-side comparisons of the stage setup and commenting, “This was Gracie’s b-stage setup last tour. LITERALLY Phoebe’s bed sheets.” Reactions remain polarized; while some supporters celebrated the lyrical bite, others expressed disappointment over perceived tension between two artists who previously championed one another.

Representatives for Bridgers, Mescal, and Abrams have been approached for comment.

What Lies Ahead

Lost Weekend arrives in full on August 14, marking Bridgers’ first solo collection since her critically acclaimed 2020 album, Punisher. To celebrate, she has partnered with planetariums worldwide for immersive listening sessions beginning August 10, featuring visual accompaniments by photographer Babak Tafreshi and Laser Fantasy.

Though “The Governor’s Waltz” is capturing the cultural conversation, it isn’t the only recent release touching on this complex web. On the iTunes-exclusive bonus track “Out of Nowhere,” Abrams muses, “Favorite thing to fantasize / You and me and her collide / Kinda hot but then kinda terrifying / Just my luck, everyone’s watching us.”

Both artists are preparing for extensive touring schedules, with Abrams heading out in December and Bridgers launching her Lost Tour this September.

Source