You’ve probably seen the name popping up on your curated playlists or caught a stray TikTok of a girl with a voice like warm honey and a pen like a scalpel. Jensen McRae. For a while, she was the "Phoebe Bridgers parody girl" or the one who wrote that devastatingly specific song about Massachusetts. But things just got a whole lot more interesting.
In a move that caught plenty of people off guard—and maybe confused a few indie-pop fans along the way—Jensen McRae titled her second studio album I Don't Know How But They Found Me!.
Yes, exactly like the band.
If you're currently scratching your head wondering if Dallon Weekes (of iDKHOW fame) and Jensen McRae just formed some weird supergroup, I’ve got to clear the air. They didn't. This isn't a collaboration in the traditional sense, but it’s a fascinating moment in pop culture where two completely different artists ended up sharing a very iconic, very Back to the Future sentence.
The Story Behind the Title
Honestly, naming your sophomore record after a line from a 1985 sci-fi classic is a bold move. Especially when there’s a massive indie band already using it as their literal identity. But for Jensen, the phrase "I don't know how, but they found me" isn't about time-traveling DeLoreans or Libyan nationalists. It’s about survival.
She’s been vocal about the fact that this album, released via Dead Oceans in early 2025, is a record of her "transition into real womanhood." It’s heavy. It’s a collection of songs processing the absolute wreckage of two back-to-back toxic relationships that nearly flattened her.
When Doc Brown says that line in the movie, he’s just survived a hail of bullets. Jensen felt that. She felt bulletproof even when she should’ve been broken.
The record itself is a masterclass in folk-pop evolution. Recorded in North Carolina with Brad Cook—the same guy who helped shape the sound of Waxahatchee and Bon Iver—it moves away from the "coming of age" vibes of her debut Are You Happy Now? and settles into something much more grounded and, frankly, a bit more pissed off.
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Making a Sophomore Masterpiece
You can’t talk about this album without talking about the sonic shift.
- The Rearranger: This track shimmers. It’s got this weirdly nostalgic gleam that hides the fact that everything is actually falling apart in the lyrics.
- Massachusetts: The viral hit that basically became an anthem for everyone who ever dated someone from New England and lived to regret it.
- Savannah: A haunting, country-adjacent track where her voice does this incredible acrobatic whisper. It’s one for the yearners.
- Praying For Your Downfall: This is where the "healing" gets messy. It’s an honest, raw admission that sometimes you don't want the best for your ex. You want them to feel the weight of what they did.
There's something deeply refreshing about the way Jensen refuses to be a "perfect" victim in these songs. She admits to backsliding on "I Don't Do Drugs" (spoiler: the song isn't actually about substances, it's about the addictive nature of a bad person). She gives herself permission to be wrong.
The Confusion With iDKHOW (The Band)
Let’s address the elephant in the room: the name.
I Don't Know How But They Found Me (the band) has been the project of Dallon Weekes for years. Naturally, when Jensen announced her album title, the "iDKHOW" search results on Google and Spotify became a bit of a chaotic mess.
Some fans thought it was a tribute. Others thought it was a glitch.
In reality, it’s just two artists drinking from the same well of 80s nostalgia. While Dallon Weekes uses the name to explore a sort of "forgotten 1970s variety show" aesthetic, Jensen uses it as a metaphor for the way her past keeps catching up to her.
Funny enough, both are actually on tour right now in early 2026. If you're looking for tickets, make sure you're checking the artist's name and not just the phrase. iDKHOW is currently out with Boys Like Girls and Arrows In Action, hitting places like the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and the Brooklyn Paramount. Jensen, on the other hand, is headlining her own rooms and playing major festivals like High Water in Charleston.
Why This Record Actually Matters Right Now
We are living in an era of "confessional" songwriting, but Jensen McRae is doing something different. She’s not just venting into a microphone. She’s a poet first—a USC Thornton alumna who treats lyrics like literature.
She’s recently been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 - Music list for 2026, and it’s easy to see why. There is a specific kind of bravery required to write songs like "Mother Wound" or "Let Me Be Wrong."
She’s carving out a space for young Black women in the indie-folk genre that has historically been... well, very white and very male. By leaning into the sounds of Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman but adding a modern, sharp-edged wit, she’s making music that feels both timeless and aggressively current.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're just discovering her or you're trying to figure out how to navigate this new era of her career, here’s how to dive in:
- Listen to the album in order. Jensen structured I Don't Know How But They Found Me! with a specific narrative arc. It’s divided into acts, with "I Don't Do Drugs" serving as the pivot point where the healing starts to get complicated.
- Watch the "Savannah" music video. It captures the visual aesthetic of this era perfectly—the custom fireman's coat she wears on the cover is a direct nod to the resilience themes of the record.
- Check the 2026 tour dates. She’s hitting major cities throughout the spring and summer. If you’re in the US, she has a heavy run in May, hitting the West Coast from San Diego up to Vancouver.
- Don't skip the deep cuts. While "Massachusetts" is the hit, "Tuesday" (written with Jake Wesley Rogers) is arguably one of the best vocal performances of the decade so far.
The beauty of Jensen McRae’s work is that she doesn't need to be "found." She’s been here the whole time, writing the songs we didn't know we needed until they hit us right in the chest. Whether you came for the Back to the Future reference or the viral TikToks, the musicianship is what will keep you around.