Julien Baker Teases New Music at Surprise Third Man Show

Nashville songsmith Kate Teague supports at The Blue Room, marking Baker’s first solo band performance since 2024

Julien Baker at The Blue Room at Third Man Records, 9/9/2026
Photo: Martin B. Cherry

Having largely built her career in the world of melancholy indie music, Julien Baker is known for a lot of things. The Memphis-born singer-songwriter released her debut album Sprained Ankle — full of slow, heartwrenching, rock-inspired melodies — in 2015 while studying at Middle Tennessee State University. She fleshed this out even more on her following LPs Turn Out the Lights and Little Oblivions. More recently, Baker’s star has risen along with her involvement in Grammy-winning indie trio boygenius. In 2025, she released the twangy, country-inspired record Send a Prayer My Way with TORRES.

And now it appears a new, heavier era — perhaps her most raw and authentic yet — is on the way. In her first performance as a solo artist since 2024, Baker took to the stage for a surprise show (which sold out rapidly) at The Blue Room at Third Man Records Sept. 9.

Kate Teague at The Blue Room at Third Man Records, 9/9/2026
Photo: Martin B. Cherry

Following an opening set by Nashville indie folk-rocker Kate Teague (who is also associate director of development at Nashville Public Radio), Baker began the intimate performance by debuting an unreleased song titled “Lathe.” The new number began with several minutes of ambient sounds before Baker and her band strode onstage. It was a slow buildup to a melodic outburst of powerful vocals, drums and bass — seemingly signaling a new, heavier sound for Baker that got the crowd banging their heads.

She debuted even more unreleased post-hardcore-inspired music, though the titles haven’t been shared with the public: From what I could see of the set list, they were listed simply as “F,” “G” and “O.” Along with the new music, Baker also performed the dreamier (but still poignant) “Bloodshot,” as well as songs from across her discography like “Tokyo,” “Shadowboxing,” “Favor” and “Sprained Ankle.” She closed out the night with an encore performance of “Everybody Does.”

Details surrounding a new album (which would be Baker’s fourth solo LP) have not been shared as of this writing, though Thursday morning Baker announced a tour of small venues to take place over the next several months. The run includes multiple nights each at several much-loved small venues, like Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, N.C., Middle East in Cambridge, Mass., and The 40 Watt in Athens, Ga., and tickets will be sold only in person at the box office of each club.

Much of Baker’s writing concerns the impact of addiction and the struggle to reconcile queer identity with Christian faith and its association with homophobia. With thoughtful writing on such heavy subjects, it makes sense that Baker would lean into a darker sound. And she did so while staying true to her writing and singing style and gift for peeling back layers of herself in each lyric.

Though she didn’t speak much between songs on Sept. 9 (aside from thanking the crowd and expressing her delight to be back playing live with her band), Baker summed up this commitment to authenticity when she referenced opener Teague. “An artist completely herself,” Baker said. “I love an artist that you can’t describe by comparing them to anyone. So beautiful.”

While these words ring true for Teague, they’re also a perfect description of Baker at this point in her musical career. And they’re sure to be relevant to whatever Baker has coming next.