Brandi Carlile Returns To NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk’ For 1st Time In 13 Years

Brandi Carlile recently returned to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert for her first performance in 13 years. The 11-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter mined standouts from her acclaimed new album Returning To Myself.

Carlile’s latest record arrived on October 24. As the title suggests, Returning To Myself was one of introspection for the songsmith.

“I don’t want to return to myself,” Carlile stated upon announcing the album. “And that’s why I will.”

Usually accompanied by her longtime band members Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth, the twins were absent from Carlile’s third Tiny Desk Concert performance. As many artists do, Carlile offered different instrumentation for the Tiny Desk space. Frequent collaborators SistaStrings — Chauntee Ross and Monique Ross — joined Carlile along with Solomon Dorsey on double bass.

Carlile began the session on acoustic guitar for “A War With Time” before switching to piano for “A Woman Overseas,” the latter a first time performance at the time of filming. Carlile then offered “Human,” which lent its name to Carlie’s upcoming tour around Returning To Myself. The session came to a close with the album’s title track.

Watch Brandi Carlile’s Tiny Desk Concert below: