Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has become one of the most respected and awarded artists in Americana and roots music. Born in Ravensdale, Washington, she grew up in a rural area outside Seattle and was largely self-taught as a musician, learning guitar and piano as a teenager. She dropped out of high school to pursue music full-time and began performing in the Seattle music scene, eventually signing with Columbia Records.

Carlile released her self-titled debut album in 2005 and steadily built a devoted following through relentless touring and a series of critically acclaimed albums, including The Story (2007), Give Up the Ghost (2009), and The Firewatcher’s Daughter (2015). While she earned critical praise for years, her mainstream breakthrough came with By the Way, I Forgive You (2018), which won three Grammy Awards including Best Americana Album, Best Americana Roots Performance, and Best Americana Roots Song for The Joke. The album was widely regarded as one of the best of the year.

Her follow-up album, In These Silent Days (2021), earned even greater acclaim and won the Grammy for Best Americana Album for the second time. At the 2022 Grammy Awards, Carlile won three more Grammys, and she has now accumulated eight Grammy Awards throughout her career. She also produced Tanya Tucker’s comeback album While I’m Livin’, which won the Grammy for Best Country Album, showcasing her talent as a producer.

Beyond music, Carlile is a bestselling author with her memoir Broken Horses (2021), an outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate, and the founder of the Looking Out Foundation, which supports causes including racial justice, the fight against poverty, and LGBTQ+ rights. Her estimated net worth of $10 million reflects decades of touring, album sales, publishing royalties, book sales, and her growing stature as a producer and collaborator.