Brandi Carlile: ‘Joni Mitchell has this grave in Hollywood – sometimes she’ll go there and have lunch’

Brandi Carlile's new album, "Returning to Myself," is a deeply personal reflection on her life, inspired by her challenging upbringing and her role in Joni Mitchell's musical comeback. Carlile recounts her "wild, magical" childhood, marked by her parents' struggles with addiction but also a sense of wonder. This raw honesty informs her latest work, which she describes as a "mid-forties f***ing ‘a-ha!’ moment." A significant part of Carlile's recent journey involved facilitating Joni Mitchell's return to music after a debilitating brain aneurysm. Carlile organized "Joni Jams" where legendary musicians gathered to encourage Mitchell. She describes witnessing Mitchell's recovery as "addicted to witnessing the miracle," highlighting Mitchell's determination to regain her abilities, including playing guitar and performing again. Carlile also details her "stormy but life-affirming" collaborations with Elton John. Their work together was challenging, pushing Carlile to reaffirm her own identity amidst the creative process with the iconic artist she idolized. This experience, alongside her reflections on her past and her experiences with Mitchell, contributed to the introspective nature of "Returning to Myself." The album also features a song titled "Joni," which portrays Mitchell as a vibrant, fun-loving character. Carlile shares an anecdote about Mitchell having a quirky habit of visiting a blank grave marker in Hollywood for lunch and champagne, a detail that Carlile included in her song, which Mitchell ultimately approved of with humor. Carlile als... download the app to read more