[4] Both Dacus and Bridgers had opened for Baker on separate tours in 2016, and they all ran in similar circles as young up-and-coming performers navigating the indie scene.

[4] Upon meeting up that summer, they found themselves overwhelmed with ideas, and they ended up forming the band, writing, recording, and self-producing the Boygenius EP in four days, with the process involving almost exclusively women.

[19] They sought to create an environment free of the competitiveness and "bravado" they had often encountered in previous experiences, and they have remarked that the absence of men in the process proved significant, allowing them to relate to each other openly without constantly having to explain themselves.

[23][24] In 2020, they were featured on Hayley Williams' "Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris" from her EP Petals for Armor II, and also reunited on backing vocals for numerous songs from each other's solo projects: "Graceland Too" and "I Know the End" from Bridgers' Grammy-nominated Punisher, Baker's Little Oblivions single "Favor", and Dacus's "Please Stay" and "Going Going Gone" on Home Video.

[26][27] After reuniting on stage for occasional surprise appearances at one another's solo tours throughout 2021, the group performed their first full show together since 2018 as the headliner of Bread and Roses Presents' annual benefit concert in San Francisco on November 19, 2021.

[30] On January 31, 2023, AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) Presents announced that the band would be one of three headline acts at the inaugural Re:SET Concert Series.

The tour dates started as early as April 12, and ending on August 27 featuring special guests Carly Rae Jepsen, Bartees Strange, Claud, Broken Social Scene and Illuminati Hotties.

[37] On November 11, 2023, the band was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, performing two songs and appearing in a sketch with Timothée Chalamet.

[38] On November 17, 2023, the band collaborated with Ye Vagabonds to release a cover of "The Parting Glass", paying tribute to the late Sinéad O'Connor, an Irish singer and activist.

[42] On the red carpet of the Grammys, the band was asked what this meant for their future, with Dacus stating that she is "not convinced" followed by Baker adding, "How do you know a meteor is not going to crash into earth tomorrow?

She noted that they had all joked about boygenius being a hardcore band, and when creating their social media they thought it would be funny to stylize themselves as extremely punk when it wasn't characteristic of any of their music at the time.