Why did Phoebe Bridgers and Paul Mescal split?

Phoebe Bridgers has released her new song Lost Boys, which tells the story of a failed romance.

Fans are speculating whether the song is about Phoebe’s former boyfriend Paul Mescal – whom she dated from 2020 to 2022. Take a look back at the pair’s relationship and breakup.

Dating Rumours Begin

Paul and Phoebe first sparked dating rumours when the latter tweeted “finished normal people and now I’m sad and horny oh wait”. Paul, who played Connell Waldron in the series, responded, “I’m officially dead.”

In an interview with NME, Phoebe referred to Paul as “the cute boy” and explained how she got a “pitter-patter in my heart” when she noticed that the Irish actor had followed her on Instagram.

© WWD

Phoebe, 31, then sent Paul a copy of her album Punisher before interviewing him on Instagram Live for his first cover feature with a fashion magazine.

The pair confirmed their relationship in November 2021 as they walked the red carpet together at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles, before going Instagram official the following month.

The Breakup

In late 2022, fans started to speculate that Phoebe and Paul, 30, had split and the singer was linked to comedian Bo Burnham.

A source told DeuxMoi, “Can confirm the engagement is off between Paul Mescal and Phoebe Bridgers. It’s not an open relationship in the slightest. Paul found out about Phoebe and Bo and called off the engagement.”

© Vivien Killilea

Phoebe was then spotted on a date with Burnham as they attended a play in New York City. It was claimed on the Deux U podcast that the pair had been seen “making out” and “canoodling” on several occasions in Los Angeles.

Telling Song Lyrics

Phoebe featured on SZA‘s song Ghost in the Machine – released in December 2022 – and the track featured some lyrics that many felt were a reference to the Gladiator II actor.

She sings, “You said all of my friends are on my payroll / You’re not wrong, you’re an a-hole / Screaming at you in the Ludlow / I was yours for free.

© Jerod Harris

“I don’t get existential / I just think about myself and look where that got me / Standin’ on my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby / Waiting to feel clean / That’s so f****** boring.”

© Renee Dominguez

In an interview released that same month, Phoebe explained that she came up with the lyrics after SZA had approached her on Instagram. The Grammy-winning star said, “She just hit me up, she just sent me a DM. It all happened so fast. I wasn’t really used to that in the pop world, because vinyl isn’t so much of a conversation until way later, it’s just like, ‘Do you want to be on this record? Okay, it’s out next week’, which I really like. I like that turnaround time.”