Brandi Carlile at the National

Brandi Carlile at the National

By Christy Sheppard | Richmond.com
Updated: 06/04/2010 12:00 am
Published: June 3, 2010

Brandi Carlile doesn't believe in luck so when pondering her laundry list of musical accomplishments, don't think her lucky.

The now 29-year-old singer-songwriter's first real performance was at age eight and by 16 she was singing backup for an Elvis impersonator. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the world to realize she wasn't destined to be anyone's backup.

Carlile's first album was self-titled and released in 2005 by Columbia Records. That year she made Rolling Stone's "10 Artists to Watch List" and by 2006 had toured in support of some of her own personal favorite artists including the Indigo Girls. Carlile released album number two, The Story (produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett) in 2006 and her latest album, Give Up the Ghost, was produced by Rick Rubin and debuted at #26 on the Billboard charts in 2009. Five of Carlile's songs would eventually go on to appear on the hit TV show Grey's Anatomy.

Carlile travels with the Hanseroth twins (Tim and Phil), who've been playing with her since the beginning of her career. She's been classified as pop, rock, indie, folk and alt-country. Carlile wears her heart on her sleeve. Her voice is often haunting, her lyrics heart-wrenching and her message awe-inspiring.

I spoke with Carlile a few weeks ago before she hit the road for an overseas tour.

You got to peform with one of your idols, Elton John, on Give Up the Ghost. How was that experience?
He’s the biggest influence I’ve had. He’s my favorite. He was amazing and kind - he knows what an influence he’s had one me because I’ve told him in my own clumsy way. It was just unbelievable. He’s such a talented musician. You know, you idolize someone for so long and it starts to become more about who they are ... they become so elevated. I’d forgotten what an exceptional musician he is. He finished his part for the song in no time flat and just did an amazing job.

Does he actually play the piano or just sing?
He played! Have you heard the song? It’s unmistakably like Elton John. I laughed so hard. He came back from the song and said ‘I didn’t know what I was going to play’ and I was like I knew what you were going to play’

Who are some of your other musical influences?
Patsy cline influenced me a lot vocally. Also Freddie Mercury. The Indigo Girls had a big impact on me when I was a teenager. Different movements, women in country music had a big impact. Lilith Fair had a big impact, too.

You’re going to perform in this year’s Lilith. How do you feel about that? It’s amazing and a huge honor. That music festival shaped the kind of artist that I am now and to be able to be a part of it is incredible. I would have gone to as many shows as I could go to whether I was singing in them or not.

We're about the same age. I was never able to go when I was a teenager, did you go?
I went to every single one I could get to. I went to five total Lilith fair concerts. I camped out and everything. It’s coming back strong. There are a lot of great artists on the tour. If I end up on one Loretta Lynn is on, I’ll probably die. The plane will probably crash on my way to the show.

That might give you bad luck.
I don’t believe in luck. [she laughs]

What inspires you to create your music? Do you use everyday experience?
It used to be everyday experience because I didn’t have to write songs in such close proximity to each other so I had the luxury of writing songs about coming of age and first love and first loss and really big life things that happened. Then I realized that if I didn’t learn to write songs in a different way or about different things that I could end up with an album full of road songs. The whole concept of Give Up the Ghost is transcending the moment and writing about a bigger thing. For instance, if I’m having an everyday experience on the road, it might just be that the Starbucks I wanted to go to is closed and I’m really tired and I really miss my mom and dad and I could write a song about that but it’s like do I really miss my mom and dad or do I miss the freedom of being their daughter, being a child, being able to just be home. So instead of writing a song about what’s in front of me on the tour bus or the road I might write about something bigger like what is it that really has me being contemplative today? Is it really the moment or is it something way bigger than that? That’s what my songwriting has kind of turned into these days. They’re not works of fiction but it's definitely a stretch intellectually.

Is that a concept you came upon on your own or did you read about it somewhere?
It’s actually the opposite of something I read about. Everything I’ve read lately – Eckhart Tolle "Power of Now" - stay in the moment kind of Eastern philosophy – which I think is a totally admirable way to live your life, but unfortunately I think good art doesn’t necessarily come from the moment all the time. It comes from the ethers. You can’t really stay in the moment and reach to the edges of your mind. It takes dream journals and a lot of wandering thought. When you’re constantly trying to keep your thoughts in the moment and in the now, I don’t think it makes for the best creative breeding ground. At least not for me. It would make for some really boring songs. I’d have a lot of songs about Starbucks if that were the case.

What’s a normal day like for you on the road?
My voice requires that I sleep a long time every night to heal it from the night before. I really use it to its full capacity for every show. It takes a long time to recover so I’ll sleep well into the day. The twins usually wake me up with coffee after they’ve all been up for a few hours. I’ll sit down and read a book or do some emails, write some songs, hang out on the bus, maybe walk around if the town is cool. Then I’ll go to sound check and from there I’ll start getting ready for the show, practicing the songs from the setlist, play the show. After the show is when I get on the bus and I really feel awake and alive within my family for the first time, we all sit around and talk about the day and the show. The show is when I really wake up and afterwards is when I’m able to participate in the family atmosphere of the band. I go to bed late, like 4 a.m. or later. The road does that to you. Performing is the peak of my day. Most people peak at 3 p.m. – they’re thinking about dinner and winding down. I don’t even eat dinner til midnight.

What’s a day for you like when you’re not touring?
Up at 9 a.m. Coffee, fruit, go to the gym and work out. Come home and hang out with my dog and horse. Probably go see my brother and sister-in-law and my niece and nephew. Then I come home and make dinner. Watch Grey’s Anatomy and go to bed.

What truly makes you happy?
Animals.
Is that it?
Family, food.
Music?
Clearly. [laughs] Let’s make music number 1. I thought that was a given.

Do you have any vices or bad habits?
I’m a total slave to coffee. That and a three-year-old who, as she says, is the boss of me.

http://www2.richmond.com/content/2010/jun/03/040000/brandi-carlile-national/