Andrew Bird’s new song premieres in tonight’s episode of The Pitt
Multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer Andrew Bird will debut an original song, “Need Someone,” in tonight’s episode of HBO Max’s Emmy-winning medical drama The Pitt. The track was co-written and produced with the show’s composer, Greg Brivik, specifically for a pivotal moment in Season 2, Episode 6, which airs this evening.
What to expect from “Need Someone”
“Need Someone” is an intimate acoustic ballad built around Bird’s delicate vocal delivery and his signature whistling. The song is designed to heighten the emotional stakes of the scene it underscores and concludes with the resonant line, “You need someone who’s going to cry for you.” According to show and music credits, the piece was crafted expressly to match the scene’s mood and narrative turn.
The collaboration: Bird and composer Greg Brivik
Bird says he welcomed the focused challenge of writing for a specific scene. “I really enjoy these projects because the challenge is to respond to the emotion of this scene with melody and lyrics,” he said. “There is a bit more clarity of purpose to it as opposed to writing for myself.” He added that his thinking centered on the characters’ cumulative hardships and on empathy: “I was thinking of all the hardships the characters have endured, and how if you are an empathetic, good person, you can hope people will be there for you when you pass on.”
Bird also praised the series’ subject matter, noting its respect for frontline workers: “I love how this show champions our healthcare workers and first responders who do what they do for all the right reasons: to help those in need and who are willing to put themselves in harm’s way for the greater good.”
Bird’s ongoing film and television work
The Pitt placement is the latest in a long list of screen collaborations for the two-time Grammy–nominated musician. Bird has contributed music to films associated with Judd Apatow and the late Lynn Shelton, and to projects involving actor-producer Chris Pine. His television and documentary credits include composing for the FX series Baskets and the PBS film Storm Lake. He has also appeared on screen in Disney’s The Muppets and made his professional acting debut on FX’s Fargo.
Bird’s experience scoring and placing songs for visual media has become a consistent thread in his career, allowing his distinctive blend of folk, chamber pop and virtuoso whistling to amplify dramatic moments.
Bird’s musical background and recent releases
Andrew Bird has released 16 studio albums and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Mysterious Production of Eggs, a record that helped define his reputation in the indie music world. He began his career playing violin with the Squirrel Nut Zippers and has long been noted for combining literate songwriting with instrumental virtuosity.
Most recently, Bird collaborated with singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham on a project that revisits the 1973 Buckingham Nicks album by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks — a direct nod to a pivotal moment in rock history.
About The Pitt and where the song will appear
The Pitt, HBO’s first original medical drama series, follows emergency department staff at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Each season unfolds over the course of a single 15-hour shift, giving the show a compressed, high-stakes tempo. The series, which premiered January 9, 2025 on Max, stars Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, Patrick Ball and Supriya Ganesh among others. The show was renewed for a third season and has accumulated major awards, including five wins at the 77th Emmy Awards — among them Outstanding Drama Series and acting honors for Wyle and LaNasa — and Best Television Series at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards.
“Need Someone” appears in Season 2, Episode 6; The Pitt airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
Why this placement matters
Placing an original song in a key television moment can extend a track’s reach beyond the artist’s usual audience and deepen viewers’ attachment to a scene. For Bird, whose music often traffics in melancholy and introspection, the TV placement offers a natural match: his sound has long been cinematic in scope, and his capacity to translate a character’s emotional interior into melody makes him a sought-after collaborator for film and TV composers.
Fans of Bird and viewers of The Pitt alike can expect a poignant intersection of music and storytelling when “Need Someone” plays during tonight’s episode.