Brandi Carlile Spills on Joni Mitchell's Wild Side and Her Own Musical Journey

Brandi Carlile is a well-known musician who has had an inspiring journey from her childhood to stardom. Growing up in a mobile home outside Seattle, she fell in love with music by listening to her mom's Elton John records. At age 12, she asked for a piano but got a small keyboard instead. Even though she struggled to play, she found joy in making simple sounds and pretending to be like her musical idols. Fast forward to today, Brandi is not only friends with Elton John but has also collaborated with him on an album that reached number one in the UK. She played a big role in helping Joni Mitchell, a legendary singer, recover and return to performing after a serious brain injury. Over the past six years, Brandi has performed with stars like Miley Cyrus and Noah Kahan and organizes a yearly music festival in Mexico called Girls Just Wanna.

Brandi's big break came at the 2019 Grammy Awards when she sang 'The Joke,' a powerful song about people who feel left out. She practiced hard to hit every note and was thrilled when she succeeded. Her performance amazed the audience and led to many new opportunities. Brandi says she accepted every offer because she remembered feeling different as a child. Growing up gay in a rural area, she never met anyone else like her, which made her feel isolated. Her relationship with her mother changed because of her sexuality, but music helped them reconnect. Brandi is now married to Catherine Shepherd and has two daughters. She believes her drive to seize every chance comes from her experiences of feeling excluded and wanting to prove herself.

Recently, Brandi realized she needed to focus more on her family. After a busy period of concerts and recording, she wrote a poem about returning to herself, which became the title track of her new album. The album explores themes of time, change, and human connection. One song, Church And State, expresses her concern about the future of same-sex marriage in the US. Her daughters discussed moving to Canada if the law changed, which made Brandi feel both sad and angry. Another song is a tribute to Joni Mitchell, whom Brandi describes as wild and unpredictable. Joni enjoyed the song, even though she teased Brandi about one of the lyrics. Brandi also shares stories about meeting famous musicians like Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton. Looking back, she feels proud of her journey and believes her younger self would be amazed at her success. Her new album marks a turning point, showing she is ready to embrace new challenges and is comfortable with who she has become.