Andrew Bird Will Debut New Song on 'The Pitt'

3 hours ago 5

Published Feb 12, 2026, 10:01 AM EST

Jeff Cornell is a veteran music and entertainment writer, who has contributed to Variety, Billboard, Loudwire, The Hollywood Reporter, and MTV.

Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Andrew Bird will debut a new song in tonight's episode of HBO Max's Emmy-winning drama The Pitt. The song was written and produced along with The Pitt's composer, Greg Brivik, for a specific pivotal moment in the show's sixth episode of its second season, which airs tonight.

"Need Someone" is a haunting acoustic ballad that is sure to trigger an emotional response from the viewer. It features Bird's soft, inspired vocals, his signature whistling and closes with the tear-jerking line, "You need someone who's going to cry for you." It marks the latest in a hefty list of film and TV collaborations for the two-time Grammy-nominated musician. Bird has recently composed music for movies by Judd Apatow, Lynn Shelton and Chris Pine, as well as, the FX series Baskets and the PBS documentary Storm Lake. He also recently appeared in Disney's The Muppets and made his professional acting debut in FX's Fargo.

'The Pitt' won Best Television Series at the Golden Globe Awards

Andrew Bird was approached by composer Greg Brivik to write a song for this specific scene. He says, "I really enjoy these projects because the challenge is to respond to the emotion of this scene with melody and lyrics. There is a bit more clarity of purpose to it as opposed to writing for myself." Bird adds, "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."

"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."

The Pitt, which was recently renewed for a third season, stars Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, Patrick Ball, and Supriya Ganesh. It marks HBO's first original medical drama series and follows the emergency room staff at the fictional Pittburgh Trauma Medical Center, with each season taking place over the course of one 15-hour shift. The series won five awards at the 77th Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, as well as, acting wins for Wyle and LaNasa. The Pitt also won Best Television Series at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards.

Bird has released 16 studio albums and is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Mysterious Production of Eggs, which cemented his legacy in the indie music realm. His unique sound and ingenious use of whistling and emotional resonance connects with his audience and is made for TV and film. Bird began his career playing violin for Squirrel Nut Zippers, who repopularized the swing dance scene in the 90s. His latest album Cunninham Bird, is a collaboration with Madison Cunningham and is a track-by-track cover of Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nick's 1973 album Buckingham Nicks, released prior to the duo joining Fleetwood Mac.

The Pitt airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO.