Brandi Carlile took the stage of Saturday Night Live on November 1 to deliver a pair of striking performances from her freshly released solo album Returning to Myself. The singer‑songwriter opened her set with “Church & State,” a bold and politically charged rock‑infused track, during which she momentarily shifted gears to recite a historic letter penned by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to Connecticut’s Danbury Baptists, invoking the principle of “a wall of separation between Church & State.” Her use of the Jefferson excerpt gave the performance a layer of gravitas and historical resonance.
Carlile revealed that “Church & State” was born on election night 2024, when she found herself unable to turn away from her phone, wrestling with what the night’s results meant for her country and her own conscience. She described surrounding herself with music like U2’s “Bullet the Blue Sky,” digging into early‑career influences and channeling her frustration into the creative process.
She followed that with “Human,” a powerful ballad that wrestles with the tension of being alive for a brief moment (“the blink of an eye”), while being responsible for what happens in the world. According to Carlile, the song asks: how do we remain human in the face of activism, of duty, of urgency—without losing ourselves or surrendering to apathy?
On the SNL stage, Carlile’s performance felt both theatrical and intimate—dynamic enough for the Broadway‑style lights and cameras, yet rooted in honest vulnerability. In a season known for big hosts and even bigger musical moments, she carved a space that felt personal and urgent. The inclusion of Jefferson’s words signalled she wasn’t just performing for entertainment—she was inviting a moment of reflection.
While SNL has long served as a launching pad for pop‑oriented hits, Carlile’s appearance reminded viewers of the deeper possibilities of live television music: the fusion of artistry, politics, and raw emotion. With Returning to Myself, she’s not just returning—she’s stepping forward.