Watch Julien Baker join Touché Amoré for ‘Reminders’

Julien Baker made a surprise appearance at Touché Amoré’s set in Los Angeles, joining them in a rendition of ‘Reminders’.  

• READ MORE: Boygenius on the enduring power of ‘The Record’: “We feel as good as we ever hoped to”

Last week (December 8), the Boygenius member joined the post-hardcore band during their set opening for Deafheaven at Los Angeles’ The Novo, providing harmonies and clean vocals for a high-energy rendition of ‘Reminders’, a cut from their 2020 full-length ‘Lament’. Baker also provided backing vocals on the song’s studio recording.

At the close of the song, Baker can be seen quickly making her way offstage, before dropping to her knees and clasping her hands to show appreciation to Touché Amoré frontman Jeremy Bolm. “Oh, my God. Julien Baker everybody,” he said as Baker made her exit.

Watch Julien Baker join Touché Amoré to perform ‘Reminders’ below:

‘Reminders’ marked the second collaboration between Touché Amoré and Baker, following Baker’s inclusion on ‘Skyscraper’, the closing track of the band’s 2016 full-length, ‘Stage Four’.

Baker’s last major release as a solo artist was her third full-length album, ‘Little Oblivions’, which she released in 2021. The album marked a shift from her stripped-back singer-songwriter sound in the past, utilising more elaborate, full-band arrangements.

In a four-star review, NME’s Will Richards highlighted Baker’s brutally emotional lyricism, writing: “Her pain and fury can be tough to hear, and there’s no tidy closing resolution to falsely declare that it’ll actually all be fine. Baker’s bravery in simply laying it out this way suggests that if you dig deep enough into yourself too, there’s some light to be found at the bottom.”

Baker has had an eventful 2023, having reunited with Boygenius members Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers to release their full-length debut, ‘The Record’, which was released in March and has emerged as NME’s album of 2023.

NME’s Rhian Daly emphasised the album’s demonstration of the trio’s friendship, stating: “It asked questions about how far friendship could go – even through satanism? – and found strength in getting vulnerable on one of many highlights, ‘Not Strong Enough’. That song might have positioned Boygenius as “always an angel, never a god”, but ‘The Record’ deservingly vaulted them much closer to musical deity status.”

In an interview following ‘The Record’ being crowned NME’s album of the year, Baker elaborated on the importance of friendship as the album’s core theme. “I love it,” she said. “I think it’s great if that’s the thesis statement that people are taking away from this band. Representing the validity of making something with your friends for your own fulfilment is a great thing for people to take away from this.”

‘The Record’ has also garnered the group six nominations at the 2024 Grammy Awards, including Album and Record of The Year, for which they will compete with SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift.

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