Brandi Carlile Confronts Theocratic Creep in New Album, ‘Returning to Myself’
LOS ANGELES – Brandi Carlile’s forthcoming eighth solo album, Returning to Myself, out October 24th, isn’t simply a collection of songs; it’s a direct response to the escalating threat of theocracy influencing American law and culture. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, a practicing Christian herself, expresses deep concern over the blurring lines between church and state, a theme powerfully articulated in her new single, and increasingly evident in the political landscape.
Carlile frames the album as a personal and political statement, born from anxieties surrounding the potential erosion of hard-won rights, including marriage equality. “It’s just straight up about the separation of church and state and the creeping in of theocracy into the ideology and eventually the laws and practices of the country that I live in,” she explains. “The mystical does not belong in the practical. When we start legislating along dogmatic and religious lines, we’re seeing the beginning of a meaningful decline as a peopel… And it’s deeply, deeply personal, as my marriage depends on that not being the case.”
The album arrives as Carlile witnesses a surge in activism aimed at reversing progressive legislation. Her eldest daughter, grappling with the possibility of their family’s legal standing being challenged, offered a pragmatic solution: “bebop up to canada.” However, Carlile remains optimistic, believing that “these ideologies, these people, they don’t live forever,” and will be “replaced by better and younger ideas.”
Beyond the political, Carlile continues to draw inspiration from musical icons like Joni Mitchell, whom she describes as having “this grave in Hollywood – sometimes she’ll go there and have lunch.” This connection to artistic lineage underscores Carlile’s commitment to using her platform for meaningful expression. she acknowledges the emotional toll of the current political climate, describing “daily spiritual, emotional and intellectual whiplash” caused by figures like Donald Trump. Yet, the galvanizing response to her music reaffirms her belief in the power of protest songs. “It’s made me really realize how important protest music is,” she says. “If that’s your gift and you do that, every time your words are gonna strike.”
