Arlo Parks and Phoebe Bridgers remind us of a love we’ve never had in “Pegasus”

By Hailey Hunsucker

Is it possible to mourn a love you’ve never experienced? After hearing the line “I feel elated when you hold me,” I was definitely going through stage one of the five  stages of grief: denial.

Although the new track “Pegasus” from artist Arlo Parks (with help from Phoebe Bridgers) didn’t exactly throw me through all five stages of grief, I was definitely bordering stage four. Yes, unfortunately it’s exactly what you think. 

 The beginning of the track sounds almost angelic, and extremely delicate. This build up of fragility makes so much sense when the aforementioned line hits, especially when the response is “I think it’s special that you told me.” That particular line feels like a gut punch of realization. As humans, we spend so much of our lives not saying things in fear of coming off as too much, scared that someone will think we’re weird or won’t feel as intensely as we do. It’s the response every emotionally insecure person dreams of! 

By the end of the track, I know there’s nothing to grieve besides the fact that many of us have yet to experience exactly what Parks is describing. “‘Pegasus’ is about experiencing the warmth and lightness of good love for the first time,” said Parks. “It also explores how the absence of chaos and the presence of real connection can be a little bit terrifying after a long time of not having it.” And that’s exactly what the track sounds like. From the lyrics to the instrumentals, to the unbelievable harmonies. Parks and Bridgers harmonization is–at the risk of sounding dramatic–ethereal, which comes as no surprise when you consider the fact the duo have taken the stage together multiple times before. 

“Pegasus” is the fourth single released from Parks’ upcoming sophomore album, “My Soft Machine,” available May 26. Give it a listen here!