When did Lucy Dacus come out? Acclaimed singer-songwriter confirms relationship with indie rock musician Julien Baker

The acclaimed indie rock musician, Lucy Dacus, better known as a member of the band Boygenius, has opened up about her romantic relationship with her bandmate Julien Baker.

Dacus confirmed details about their relationship in a New Yorker interview that was published on March 17, 2025, after months of speculation among fans. Though Dacus’ confirmation of her relationship with Baker is new, her sexuality has been the subject of conversations for several years.

During an NPR interview in 2016, she accidentally outed herself by identifying herself and Baker as having the same experience growing up Christian and queer.

In an essay written for the Oprah Daily’s Coming Out series, Dacus reflected on this moment, and the wider complexities of coming out. She said she had never really had a formal “coming out,” but rather recognized her identity in small, incremental ways. She wrote:

"Did I come out? In a big way, no, and in a myriad of small ways, yes."

In her essay, Lucy Dacus addressed societal expectations around coming out, pointing out how for some people it may not be a public journey but a personal development.

"Plenty of people are robbed of coming out on their own terms because of childhood cruelty or the rumor mill."

According to Dacus, her middle school friends knew or assumed she was queer before she fully did. She also explained that while her mother struggled with the word “queer,” since it has been historically used as a slur, for Dacus it just meant “not straight and none of your business.” Now she identifies as either bisexual or pansexual, but insists labels are secondary to being true to yourself.

---

More about Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker's relationship confirmation

Lucy Dacus, 29, spoke about the speculation about her relationship with Julien Baker, which according to her is also mentioned and referenced in the lyrics of her upcoming album, Forever Is a Feeling. She added that striking the balance between personal privacy and artistic honesty had been tough, saying:

"It’s been interesting, because I want to protect what is precious in my life, but also to be honest, and make art that’s true."

While some of her new songs refer to other people, Dacus noted that lyrics, like those in Most Wanted Man in West Tennessee have been influenced by her personal life.

Lucy Dacus also spoke about her former relationships, saying she has long been attracted to dating people she’s close to or other creative collaborators. She said:

"Almost every relationship I have been in, we’ve had some business or creative dealings. I don’t mean this just sexually, but it turns me on. "