Phoebe Bridgers and Andrew Bird Share Emotional Duet Inspired by Emily Dickinson

Andrew Bird and Phoebe Bridgers released the song “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” a duet that borrows from legendary poet Emily Dickinson’s work of the same name.

Andrew explained that he came across the Dickinson poem (originally released in 1861) and “found it to be the most vivid description of an inner world [he’d] ever encountered,” using it as inspiration for the songs on his latest LP, Inside Problems. The new duet pairs strings with soft guitar and an eerie whistling while the lyrics line up closely with the original source material.

“Who better to sing it with than Phoebe Bridgers?” Andrew said in a statement. “I sent her a demo and so, here we are. Thanks to Ms. Dickinson’s publisher at Harvard University Press for allowing us to use this poem. As I understand, her poems weren’t published as she intended them until the 1950s — that is, without the heavy hand of her male editors.”

Earlier this year, Andrew released Inside Problems, which included the tracks “Atomized” and “Underlands.”

In addition to releasing acclaimed solo singles, Phoebe has collaborated with numerous artists in recent years. The indie star is also the host of Saddest Factory Radio, a monthly show co-hosted by her drummer and ex-boyfriend, Marshall Vore, on SiriusXMU (Ch. 35).

Listen to ‘I felt a Funeral, in my Brain’:

Learn more about SiriusXM’s indie music channel SiriusXMU here.