Brandi Carlile returned to Saturday Night Live (SNL) on November 2 with a powerful performance of her new songs "Church & State" and "Human", both from her latest album 'Returning to Myself'. This marks Carlile's fourth time as musical guest on the show, and her second appearance this year.
Carlile delivered two emotionally charged performances, showcasing her soulful voice and raw energy. The setlist included a haunting arrangement of "Church & State," co-written with producer Andrew Watt and longtime collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth. The song's lyrics captured the essence of a "failing empire" and sociopolitical unrest.
The show also featured Carlile singing her soaring ballad "Human", which reflects on vulnerability and resilience. The song is also the title of her upcoming Human Tour, set to kick off in February 2026. This album is Carlile's eighth studio effort, released on October 25, marking her first solo LP since 2021's 'In These Silent Days'.
Carlile's latest project has cemented her status as a central figure in American roots and rock music. She has remained active in the industry, curating music festivals, forming the country supergroup The Highwomen, and collaborating with legendary artists like Elton John, Joni Mitchell, and Tanya Tucker.
The SNL appearance is part of Carlile's busy October schedule, which included performing at Joni Mitchell's 'Joni Jam' at the Hollywood Bowl and announcing her return to Europe in fall 2026 after the North American leg of her tour.
Carlile delivered two emotionally charged performances, showcasing her soulful voice and raw energy. The setlist included a haunting arrangement of "Church & State," co-written with producer Andrew Watt and longtime collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth. The song's lyrics captured the essence of a "failing empire" and sociopolitical unrest.
The show also featured Carlile singing her soaring ballad "Human", which reflects on vulnerability and resilience. The song is also the title of her upcoming Human Tour, set to kick off in February 2026. This album is Carlile's eighth studio effort, released on October 25, marking her first solo LP since 2021's 'In These Silent Days'.
Carlile's latest project has cemented her status as a central figure in American roots and rock music. She has remained active in the industry, curating music festivals, forming the country supergroup The Highwomen, and collaborating with legendary artists like Elton John, Joni Mitchell, and Tanya Tucker.
The SNL appearance is part of Carlile's busy October schedule, which included performing at Joni Mitchell's 'Joni Jam' at the Hollywood Bowl and announcing her return to Europe in fall 2026 after the North American leg of her tour.
i've been a fan of hers for ages, but this performance was like nothing i've ever seen before - her voice is literally soulful and raw and it gave me all the feels 
"church & state" is such a powerful song, it's so relevant to what's going on in the world right now 
and singing along to "human" with the whole audience was like we were all connected on this emotional journey together 
anyway, i'm beyond hyped for her new album 'returning to myself' - can't wait to dive into it and explore more of brandi's incredible music 
and her energy was infectious, like you could feel the emotions pouring out of her... can't wait for her Human Tour 
Her SNL performance was SO powerful! I mean, have you seen those lyrics from "Church & State"? They're like, so relevant to what's going on in the world rn 
. She's truly an icon and I think this SNL appearance was just what we needed to remind us of her awesomeness 
it was so vivid i swear i could smell the sweetness waking up this morning and now all i can think about is baking one for my family's sunday brunch 
anyway back to Brandi Carlile, i loved her performance on SNL she has such a powerful voice and energy 
but have you guys ever noticed how some indie artists never seem to take breaks from touring? like brandi carlile has been on the road nonstop since 2021 
maybe we need more rest for our musicians so they can keep inspiring us with their music 
, nobody original anymore...and can we please move on from this whole "soulful voice" hype, every singer thinks they have that but can she actually write a song? her collaborations are getting more and more interesting tho maybe that's where the magic happens for once 
she's like the queen of emotional depth in songwriting, you know? and that setlist was perfection - haunting and soaring all at once 
her album 'returning to myself' is a masterpiece, can't wait for the human tour in 2026 
. And have you noticed how her album 'Returning to Myself' is released on October 25? That's no coincidence, folks! It's a clever marketing ploy to get people talking while the government does its thing... or so I think 
. Anyway, Carlile delivered an amazing performance, but I'm still keeping an eye on this one 
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I was listening to Brandi Carlile on the radio back in 2007 and she was still playing those folk-rock gigs at the Grand Ole Opry 
. And can we talk about that voice? It gives me chills every time 
the way she poured her heart out on those new songs "Church & State" and "Human" was just SO emotional 
, you could feel the raw energy and vulnerability. And let's be real, that setlist was perfection 
i love how it showed off her incredible range as a singer. I'm beyond excited for her upcoming Human Tour - can't wait to belt out those songs live 
and see what else she has in store for us. She's still killing the game after all these years 
I'm low-key obsessed with that haunting arrangement of "Church & State". Brandi's been killing it in the music scene for years, but this performance just proved she's still got it 
Can't wait 4 her Human Tour in Feb!
. The fact that she's killing it at 40 is proof that age is just a number, not something to be afraid of 
. SNL always gets the best out of her, and this time was no exception 
i love how her music reflects on vulnerability and resilience - it's like she's speaking directly to your soul 
. I mean, I love Brandi Carlile's soulful voice and all, but can't she just stick to her own stuff for once?