Phoebe Bridgers Puts A Haunting Spin On Nirvana’s “Lithium”

They say the best covers are the ones that completely reimagine the song. Jury’s still out on whether or not that’s actually true, but for those who subscribe to the belief, Phoebe Bridgers’ latest performance at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge is an instant entry into the Song Cover Hall of Fame.

During an Aug. 18 taping, mere hours before the singer-songwriter suffered from appendicitis, Bridgers and her guitarist performed a haunting acoustic rendition of Nirvana’s 1991 hit, “Lithium.” While the original is a rush of adrenaline disguised in sludgy guitars and an earsplitting chorus, Bridgers’ version is gentle and contemplative, with her tissue paper-soft vocals hardly ever peaking above a whisper.

This isn’t the first time Bridgers has worn her Nirvana fandom on her sleeve — in 2023, the “Bobby” singer recreated Nirvana’s 1994 Rolling Stone cover with the help of her Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. And while she could’ve chosen any Nirvana song to play at the Live Lounge, it makes sense why she chose this one.

Teeming with grief, depression, and emotional pain, “Lithium” tells a fictional story about a man turning to religion after the death of his girlfriend. Anyone who even half-listened to Bridgers’ new record Lost Weekend knows she is still very much affected by the 2023 passing of her father; maybe music is her religion.