Brandi Carlile is preparing to step into a new chapter of her career with the release of Returning to Myself, her first solo studio album in four years. The record, set for Oct. 24, marks the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s eighth full-length LP and signals a reflective turn after a period of constant collaboration, touring, and high-profile performances.

The project arrives with a title track and music video directed by Floria Sigismondi, whose surreal visual style amplifies the sense of solitude that Carlile has said inspired the record. Though the musician describes the process of “returning to herself” as both lonely and even “boring,” the resulting music reflects a paradox: a search for selfhood that still thrives in connection with others.

In a statement announcing the album, Carlile admitted she is not always her own favorite company. “Returning to myself is not just a lonely, but a painfully boring thing to do,” she said. “So much so that I’m actually not at all interested in doing it.” The title of the record nods to this uncomfortable journey inward, one that she frames less as isolation than as the discovery of companionship in unexpected forms.

Carlile explained that learning how to “be alone” has more to do with the experience of being in proximity to others than true solitude. “For me the key to learning to ‘be alone’ is not being alone at all. It’s being alone in a crowded room,” she said. The singer described the small, intimate moments that shaped her perspective: an unexpected doorbell, a shared bottle of wine, or the casual closeness of someone who can sit silently nearby while she plays Zelda.

While the album’s theme centers on solitude, its creation was anything but solitary. Carlile worked closely with a circle of collaborators that reads like a roll call of contemporary rock and folk innovators. Producer Andrew Watt, known for his work with artists as varied as Miley Cyrus and Eddie Vedder, joins Aaron Dessner of The National and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver in shaping the album’s sound.

Her longtime bandmates Phil and Tim Hanseroth, with whom Carlile has crafted much of her catalog, return as foundational partners. Additional contributions come from SistaStrings, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, drummers Chad Smith and Matt Chamberlain, composer Rob Moose, guitarist Blake Mills, and horn players Mark Isham and Stewart Cole. The diverse lineup underscores Carlile’s ability to bridge genres while keeping intimacy at the core.

The new album arrives at a time when Carlile’s influence in American music has never been stronger. In the past several years, she has become a sought-after collaborator, producing and performing with icons such as Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tucker, and Elton John. Her 2021 record In These Silent Days and its companion project In the Canyon Haze earned critical acclaim, cementing her status as both a solo artist and a unifying force across genres.

Now, Returning to Myself suggests a pivot inward, a deliberate recalibration after years of outward-facing projects. By leaning into themes of discomfort, presence, and companionship in quiet moments, Carlile signals that her evolution is far from finished.

Returning to Myself Track List

1. “Returning to Myself”

2. “Human”

3. “A Woman Oversees”

4. “A War With Time”

5. “Anniversary”

6. “Church & State”

7. “Joni”

8. “You Without Me”

9. “No One Knows Us”

10. “A Long Goodbye”