I know this board is 99% dudes but some of y'all might love this lady, if you haven't heard of her before. I'm straight but am definitely more gay now than before I saw this cover. The Alanis version was peak high school for me.

She's an astonishing talent. I've been slightly less fond of her latest material but it's hard to please everyone for over two decades. I think this was the performance that launched her into the stratosphere, and deservedly so. Half the Grammy crowd had no idea who she was but the "wtf ?" look on their faces was easy to read. Her range is remarkable -- she just goes up and up and up. You could tell at the end she knew she had kicked all kinds of ass.

Edited September 2Sep 2 by jimmyjazz

I like that she's done some more rock stuff. I have no idea what Taylor Momsen's role is in this clip, she shows up and just looks like an amateur. Hey, Mike Tyson did that to a lot of guys, too.

36 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

She's an astonishing talent. I've been slightly less fond of her latest material but it's hard to please everyone for over two decades. I think this was the performance that launched her into the stratosphere, and deservedly so. Half the Grammy crowd had no idea who she was but the "wtf ?" look on their faces was easy to read. Her range is remarkable -- she just goes up and up and up. You could tell at the end she knew she had kicked all kinds of ass.

I first heard of her back in 2007 when she released this song. It got big after Grey's Anatomy used it in their musical episode, and around that time, someone on American Idol covered it.

But this is the song that turned me into a big fan. She has this unique way of sounding both like a rock star and a gospel singer at the same time.

She definitely brings the Seattle (rock) to her music.

IIRC Shooter is her keyboardist/producer.

Saw her with PINK! and she was incredible.

9 hours ago, austingirl said:

I'm straight

Every time I see her name, for just a second, “She was great in the Go-Go’s”.

I first heard of her from the Bear Creek album - Hard Way Home is great but Raise Hell is badass. Just a very powerful and unique voice.

Nothing really stood out from the next two albums in my mind but then when she released this I was hooked.

Cool cover of EJ as well:

She puts on a great show. There aren’t many people out there that can compete with her vocally and you need to see it to fully understand. Also—the men’s bathroom lines are some of the shortest you will ever find.

I'm not a fanatic, but I saw her perform when I went to a live taping of Prairie Home Companion and it was pretty damn incredible.

I saw her open for Jonny Lang at the Paramount Theater back in 2005. It was just her and two bald twin dudes on stage performing, which was sorta odd and quite memorable. I was pretty sure she'd go on to be huge.

She's at the Moody Center on Sunday.

I think her performance of this is an SNL all-timer:

Edited September 3Sep 3 by Nigel Tufnel

2 hours ago, HenryJames said:

She's at the Moody Center on Sunday.

And with The Head and the Heart, who I also love. My son, in his first year of college, has chosen Sunday night as his first night home since he moved away, and he'll only be here that night. I can only hope that she comes back on another tour.

I got turned on to her back in 2005. Most people think of her starting point as the "The Story" album, but she actually released a self titled album just a few years before that. I dove into it after an Apple Itunes "free single of the week" release of a song called "Closer to you". Later saw her on a free stage at the MN State Fair just after The Story single hit.

I actually have fallen off since, but those first two albums were special. Do yourself a favor if you haven't heard her first one and check it out.

2 hours ago, faps said:

I saw her open for Jonny Lang at the Paramount Theater back in 2005. It was just her and two bald twin dudes on stage performing, which was sorta odd and quite memorable. I was pretty sure she'd go on to be huge.

They were with her when I saw her in '15 or so. Great musicians.

I think she's great. Her appreciation for the artists that came before her is unmatched. I've seen videos of her singing with Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Annie Lenox, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, and plenty of contemporary artists. She resurrected Tanya Tucker a few years ago and there is a great documentary about it - The Return of Tanya Tucker. Carlile and Tucker wrote songs for a new Tucker album for which Tucker received a Grammy for best country album and best country song.

3 hours ago, faps said:

I saw her open for Jonny Lang at the Paramount Theater back in 2005. It was just her and two bald twin dudes on stage performing, which was sorta odd and quite memorable. I was pretty sure she'd go on to be huge.

She's not heavy in the mix for me but, she's one of those people. I don't know how big of a song The Story was or even when it came out? But I assume that was the big hit for her. I liked the song she did for the end credits of Onward (pandemic era pixar movie). And of course her work with The Highwomen.

1 hour ago, Al_4_ISU said:

They were with her when I saw her in '15 or so. Great musicians.

They're "the twins". They've been with her since the beginning. I once read where she actually refers to the collective of herself and those two guys as "Brandi Carlile". They split royalties equally (33.3% each).

4 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

They're "the twins". They've been with her since the beginning. I once read where she actually refers to the collective of herself and those two guys as "Brandi Carlile". They split royalties equally (33.3% each).

I think they all live together on her ranch in WA?

10 hours ago, harold said:

She puts on a great show. There aren’t many people out there that can compete with her vocally and you need to see it to fully understand. Also—the men’s bathroom lines are some of the shortest you will ever find.

Back when the Dixie Chicks ruled the world, it was in their concert rider that half the mens rooms would become ladies rooms for the show.

1 minute ago, Gil Bang said:

I think they all live together on her ranch in WA?

I believe that's correct.

She's been on Stern several times and there are many YouTube's available.

I saw her in Houston on her 2017 mini tour (8 stops) for the 10th anniversary of The Story. She played the album in full, and then a handful of other songs. Terrific show! It was the first I can remember her getting out there after kind of disappearing for a while. Her second act has been a welcome success.

Edited September 5Sep 5 by Tonesky

Perfect pop song. And she makes it look so easy. What a talent.

I prefer her older stuff but she is an amazing talent. An incredibly underrated singer and great songwriter.

On 9/4/2026 at 11:30 PM, Hank Kingsley said:

Perfect pop song. And she makes it look so easy. What a talent.

You can definitely hear the Joni Mitchell influence in that one.

That's the girls from Lucius on backing vocals. What a song.

On 9/1/2026 at 9:35 PM, austingirl said:

I know this board is 99% dudes but some of y'all might love this lady, if you haven't heard of her before. I'm straight but am definitely more gay now than before I saw this cover. The Alanis version was peak high school for me.

I’ve been listening/watching this cover for a couple of weeks now. It fucking rocks so hard.

On 9/3/2026 at 4:30 AM, harold said:

She puts on a great show. There aren’t many people out there that can compete with her vocally and you need to see it to fully understand. Also—the men’s bathroom lines are some of the shortest you will ever find.

Fucking truth. Her shows are just so freaking happy that it's hard to explain.

I went to 2 of her 3 shows at Red Rocks last month. I think I'm an honorary lesbian for it.

Also, she started doing a thing on her last tour where they'd do 3-4 songs in the middle of the set that were audience requests.

She's about to start a new tour that will be 100% audience requests. I think tix go on sale tomorrow.

Joe Bob sez check it out.

On 9/8/2026 at 7:03 AM, WhatTheBuck said:

You can definitely hear the Joni Mitchell influence in that one.

Holy shit, listen to this:

10 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

Holy shit, listen to this:

Yeah, the later-in-life Joni Mitchell version of this song is so much more powerful than the original, I think. Say what you want about Love Actually, but the scene with Emma Thompson when she learns her husband might be having an affair and this song playing is pretty fantastic.

On 9/1/2026 at 9:55 PM, jimmyjazz said:

She's an astonishing talent. I've been slightly less fond of her latest material but it's hard to please everyone for over two decades. I think this was the performance that launched her into the stratosphere, and deservedly so. Half the Grammy crowd had no idea who she was but the "wtf ?" look on their faces was easy to read. Her range is remarkable -- she just goes up and up and up. You could tell at the end she knew she had kicked all kinds of ass.

I'll listen to this song anytime it comes on. My wife (like a lot of women) adores Brandi Carlile, and she repeatedly tells me of the time she saw her at Moody Theater after her first husband had left her and was bawling the whole time.

I saw Brandi at ACL Fest in 2018 or 2019. I hadn't really been aware of her until then, and it was a mid-afternoon show before the late afternoon/evening main attractions. But man, she drew a huge crowd.

2 hours ago, South Austin said:

Yeah, the later-in-life Joni Mitchell version of this song is so much more powerful than the original, I think. Say what you want about Love Actually, but the scene with Emma Thompson when she learns her husband might be having an affair and this song playing is pretty fantastic.

And then there's this version, that just guts me like I'm a big ol' trout every time...

21 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

And then there's this version, that just guts me like I'm a big ol' trout every time...

Thanks for posting that. I've never heard it or even heard of the film. I "got it" about two seconds after she started signing when I realized that was Marlee Matlin in the balcony. It's a better version than Joni's (which some would say is sacrilege).

11 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Thanks for posting that. I've never heard it or even heard of the film.

With all due respect... what the fuck is wrong with you? CODA won the Oscar for Best Picture. It's one of my 10 favorite movies ever. It's one of the most beautiful movies you will ever see. You should watch it this weekend. And prepare to cry a lot.

2 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

With all due respect... what the fuck is wrong with you? CODA won the Oscar for Best Picture. It's one of my 10 favorite movies ever. It's one of the most beautiful movies you will ever see. You should watch it this weekend. And prepare to cry a lot.

Yeah, jimmy, what the fuck is wrong with you?!?!

7 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

With all due respect... what the fuck is wrong with you? CODA won the Oscar for Best Picture. It's one of my 10 favorite movies ever. It's one of the most beautiful movies you will ever see. You should watch it this weekend. And prepare to cry a lot.

My film watching trailed off with our two younger kids being insanely busy in high school. Youngest is a senior at UT now and we've finally started getting out to Alamo a couple of times a month. I'll figure out the streaming options . . .

2 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

And then there's this version, that just guts me like I'm a big ol' trout every time...

dammit

Yeah. The Story hooked me when i heard it almost 20 years ago.

That song definitely belongs in the "Hit's me in the Feels" thread for me.