Brandi Carlile is a renowned American singer-songwriter and producer. Her musical repertoire encompasses various genres, such as folk-rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock.
Throughout her career, she has been honored with eleven Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards, and she has also received a nomination for an Academy Award.
Early Life & Education
Brandi Marie Carlile was born on June 1, 1981, in Ravensdale, Washington, a quaint town located 30 miles from Seattle. As a child, living in the only house for miles, she spent her time exploring the woods, constructing forts, and making music alongside her siblings, Jay and Tiffany.
At the age of four, Carlile faced a life-threatening battle with bacterial meningitis, during which her heart stopped multiple times, and she fell into a coma. Her early years were spent in the southern cities of King County, including Black Diamond, Maple Valley, and Auburn, as well as in Sumner, Washington, and a brief period in West Seattle.
At the age of eight, Carlile took to the stage to sing country songs, performing Johnny Cash’s “Tennessee Flat Top Box” with her mother, Teresa Carlile. By the time she turned 15, she had begun writing her own songs. At 16, she became a backup singer for an Elvis impersonator.
Carlile has mentioned that she was diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder during her teenage years. While she attended Tahoma High School, she ultimately decided to leave to focus on her music career. Inspired by Elton John’s music, she taught herself to play the piano and learned to play the guitar at 17.
Brandi Carlile Career
Brandi Carlile started her music career by performing in Seattle’s music venues alongside twin musicians Phil and Tim Hanseroth. In 2005, she released her self-titled debut album, which received widespread critical praise.
Following this, she toured with the Hanseroth brothers, refining the tracks that would feature on her second album, The Story. Produced by T Bone Burnett, “The Story” achieved a peak position of number 41 on the Billboard 200 and included the successful title track.
In 2009, her subsequent album, “Give Up the Ghost,” debuted at number 26 on the Billboard 200 and showcased collaborations with notable artists such as Elton John, Amy Ray, Chad Smith, and Benmont Tench.
In 2011, Brandi Carlile released her first live album, “Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony,” followed by “Bear Creek” in 2012, which reached number 10 on the Billboard 200.
Three years later, she unveiled “The Firewatcher’s Daughter,” which climbed to number nine on the Billboard 200 and garnered her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Americana Album.
Carlile’s success continued with her sixth studio album, “By the Way, I Forgive You,” released in early 2018. This album achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching number five on the Billboard 200, making it her highest-charting work to date. It also received six Grammy Award nominations, including the coveted Album of the Year.
Brandi Carlile won three of these nominations: Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song, and Best American Roots Performance, with the latter two honors awarded for her song “The Joke.”
Her next album, “In These Silent Days,” released in 2021, was another significant success, earning a total of ten Grammy nominations and winning three, including her second Best Americana Album award. The single “Broken Horses” from this album also won accolades for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance.
The following year, Brandi Carlile returned to the Grammy Awards, winning Best Americana Performance alongside Brandy Clark for their collaboration on “Dear Insecurity.” She also received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Thousand Miles,” a song featuring Miley Cyrus.
Personal Life & Net Worth
Brandi Carlile, who is openly lesbian, married Catherine Shepherd in 2012. The couple has two daughters and lives in Maple Valley, Washington.
Shepherd holds the position of executive director at Carlile’s nonprofit organization, the Looking Out Foundation. Furthermore, Carlile’s net worth is $8 million due to her successful music career.
