Unless you pay really close attention to TV soundtracks, odds are good you have no idea who singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile is. Her profile’s rising thanks to increased exposure on shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and near-constant touring. The 26-year-old, whose lastest album “The Story” has been well-received, checked in to discuss her dedication to authenticity and why labels are useless.
You called the moment in the song “The Story” where your voice cracks “technically wrong but emotionally right.” Why do you think so many modern singers airbrush the flaws?
I learned a long time ago that all people really want when you play live … is they want to see you (mess) up. If you make a mistake … it endears you so much to the audience. That can translate in recording, too, because nobody’s perfect, and nobody wants to hear perfection, but that’s never strived for by artists, especially right now — it’s easily attainable, perfection is.
How does the whole idea of genre classification strike you?
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I just think it’s so silly, the whole concept of compartmentalizing music into genres. I mean, there was a better time in music where Bob Dylan was country, Hank Williams Sr. was rock ‘n’ roll and Johnny Cash was rock ‘n’ roll … and it didn’t really matter. I’ve never really tried to fit into categories like that.
What do you hope people who discover “The Story” get out of it?
I hope, as a record, it transcends genre and time. I hope that’s what happens — if we didn’t get it on this one, we’ll get it on the next one.