"Bags" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter

Clairo Claire Elizabeth Cottrill (born August 18, 1998), known professionally as Clairo, is an American singer-songwriter. She began posting music on the internet at age 13. Clairo rose to prominence following the viral success of the music video for ...

. Fader Label released it as the first single from her debut studio album '' Immunity'' on May 24, 2019. The song features drums from Danielle Haim, and was produced by Rostam Batmanglij and Clairo, who also wrote the song. It gained over 20 million streams in 2019, and was nominated for "Song of the Year" at the 2019 Boston Music Awards. "Bags" was ranked at No. 5 on the list of Hottest Records of the Year by BBC Radio 1 alongside songs like " bad guy" by

Billie Eilish Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single "Ocean Eyes (song), Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her broth ...

, "

Juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

" by

Lizzo Melissa Viviane Jefferson (born April 27, 1988), known professionally as Lizzo (), is an American singer and rapper. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Houston, Texas, with her family at the age of ten. After college, she moved to Minn ...

and " Earfquake" by

Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...

Background

Clairo made her second television appearance performing the song on ''

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...

'' in October 2019. Dominic Fike performed a cover of the song on

Triple J Triple J is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...

's ''

Like a Version ''Like a Version'' is a long-running weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves musicians playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs and then a cover version. The series was created by pres ...

'' on October 18, 2019.

Composition and lyrics

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...

song, "Bags" draws inspiration from Clairo's first romantic experiences with a girl. She tackles the line between friend and lover with a crush who could possibly be

straight Straight may refer to: Slang * Straight, slang for heterosexual ** Straight-acting, normal person * Straight, a member of the straight edge subculture Sport and games * Straight, an alternative name for the cross, a type of punch in boxing * Str ...

. Clairo wonders if the feelings between them are mutual and whether she should make the first move when she sings "Can you see me? I'm waiting for the right time/ I can't read you, but if you want the pleasure's all mine." "The whole song has this nervous energy," Clairo told ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'', saying that the song has "a mix of really calculated parts to reflect the calculated energy you have in a first experience with someone," Harry Todd from '' Paste'' praised "Bags" for its layers, stating that "A set of simple guitar chords, understated drum fills, plunking keys" are familiar elements of Clairo's music. Shaad d'Souza from ''

The FADER ''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. History and work It is owned by T ...

'' described the song as a "gently strummed track" that "builds to a peak augmented by warped guitars and piano." ''

BroadwayWorld BroadwayWorld is a theatre news website based in New York City, New York. Launched in 2003, the site covers Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, and international theater productions, with sections devoted to particular countries, cities, or regi ...

'' noted that the song gives a "glimpse into the artist's growth both as a young queer woman, straight out of college". Rachel Hammermueller from ''Earmilk'' claims that the song "explores an adult relationship while still having a fresh background mixing".

Critical reception

Accolades

At the end of 2019, "Bags" appeared on a number of critics' lists ranking the year's top songs.

Mid-year lists

Year-end lists

Decade-end lists

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. *

Claire Cottrill Claire Elizabeth Cottrill (born August 18, 1998), known professionally as Clairo, is an American singer-songwriter. She began posting music on the internet at age 13. Clairo rose to prominence following the viral success of the music video for ...

– vocals, songwriter, producer * Rostam Batmanglij – producer, recording engineer * Danielle Haim – drums *

Emily Lazar Emily B. Lazar is an American mastering engineer. She is the founder, president, and chief mastering engineer of The Lodge, an audio mastering facility that has operated in New York City's Greenwich Village since 1997. She won a Grammy Award for ...

– mastering engineer * Shaun Everett – mixer

Charts

Certifications

References

{{authority control 2019 debut singles 2019 songs Clairo songs LGBTQ-related songs Songs written by Clairo Song recordings produced by Clairo