Brandi Carlile Net Worth

Brandi Carlile Net Worth

Have you ever wondered what the net worth of Brandi Carlile is? The multi-award-winning American singer, songwriter, and producer has been in the music scene for 18 years.

Although she has earned much in her extensive career, she remains modest and uses her wealth to support humanitarian causes.

As of May 2023, Brandi Carlile has a net worth of $2 million.

Early Life

Brandi Carlile was born in Ravensdale, Washington on June 1, 1981. Raised in an isolated community, she had to seek and create her own entertainment. That included self-taught vocal lessons.

As a child, she was exposed to country music, particularly that of Patsy Cline. This led to her first on-stage performance at the age of 8. Brenda Carlile shared this gig with her mother Teresa Carlile.

At the age of 15, she learned how to play the guitar and started writing songs. Later on, she was introduced to the music of Elton John. This sparked her interest to learn how to play the piano and polish her guitar skills.

Brandi Carlile’s apparent passion for the craft eventually caused her to drop out of Tahoma High School and pursue a music career.

Musical Career

Brandi Carlile Perform “The Story” and “You and Me on the Rock” on SNL
Source: Pitchfork

Brandi Carlile started singing in music bars. During this time, she met the Hanseroth twins, Phil and Tim, who would later serve as her backup band and co-writers.

In 2004, Brandi Carlile signed under Columbia Records. The following year saw the release of her self-titled debut album. This earned her recognition from Rolling Stone when she got listed among “10 Artists to Watch in 2005.”

This was only the beginning of a multiple-genre career. To date, her music is categorized as rock, folk, pop, alternative country, or country music.

Her unique sound paved the way for seven studio albums that came with multiple chart-topping singles, awards, and numerous tours.

All of these engagements add to Brandi Carlile’s net worth.

Rise to Fame

Although Brandi Carlile’s first studio album received critical acclaim, it was her second album—The Story—that gained commercial success.

The title track was even used in a General Motors advertisement played during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Brandi Carlile further cemented her status with her 2009 album—Give up the Ghost—which featured a duet with her idol Elton John.

In 2011, she released an album Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony. It peaked at number 14 on the Top Rock Albums list.

The following album was named Bear Creek. It reached the top spot of the US Billboard Folk Albums and ranked third on the US Billboard Rock Albums chart. It’s also part of the top 10 on the Billboard 200. 

Awards and Accolades

Brandi Carlile’s fourth album The Firewatcher’s Daughter was Grammy-nominated for Best Americana Album in 2016. This is the first in a total of 25 nominations, seven of which are awaiting results in 2023.

In 2019, she took home three Grammy awards out of six nominations—the most for a female artist in that year. That includes the Best Americana Album for By the Way, I Forgive You, Best American Roots Song for The Joke, and Best American Roots Performance.

Brandi Carlile won two more Grammy awards in 2020—Best Country Song for Bring My Flowers Now, and Best Country Album for producing While I’m Livin’.  

Song Features

Other contributors to Brandi Carlile’s net worth include earnings from song features. This includes the use of her songs in TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, A Million Little Things, and This is Us.

Not only that, but other tracks were also played in movies, such as The Lucky One, Safe Haven, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Broken Horses: A Memoir

In 2021, Brandi Carlile released her memoir, Broken Horses. It easily made the #1 New York Times Best Selling list. This book takes the readers into her humble and imperfect beginnings.

Brandi Carlile shares her struggles as an openly gay teenager and how music became her path to salvation. Plus, she details the events that shaped and influenced her art.

Furthermore, Brandi Carlile talks of her parenting journey with Catherine Shepherd. She spoke of the transition she dealt with, especially in an LGBTQ+ community.

Gender Equality Advocate

Brandi Carlile is a strong advocate for equal gender and age representation in the music industry. In fact, in 2021, she was honored with a Clio Music Impact Award for her efforts.

In 2018, Brandi Carlile assembled an all-woman crew for her Party of One music video. It featured two women and their pure and passionate love.

Additionally, she created the Girls Just Wanna Weekend Festival in 2019, which features an all-woman lineup and is held yearly in Mexico.

Brandi Carlile is also a vocal member of the LGBTQ+ community. Although she’s quick to acknowledge artists who came out early on. These musicians, she says, paved the way for others, such as herself.

Just last March 2022, Brandi Carlile was honored with the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

Brandi Carlile Net Worth 2023

As of May 2023, Brandi Carlile has a net worth of $2 million.

With a nearly two-decade career and the success she has achieved, this figure is surprisingly low.

Morgan Wallen, a newer country artist, even has a net worth of $10 million. Nevertheless, $2 million is still a sizable amount.

After all, what you don’t see in Brandi Carlile’s net worth is put to good use. Besides keeping portions of her earnings, the musician generously donates to humanitarian causes too.

Log Cabin

Brandi Carlile leads a very simple life. There’s not much information about her investments or other properties except for their residence.

She bought a log cabin when she was only 21 years old. This home is located in Maple Valley, not far from her childhood home. However, the price of the property isn’t disclosed.

Humanitarian Work

Brandi Carlile created the Looking Out Foundation in 2008 with bandmates Tim and Phil Hanseroth. The aim is to launch campaigns to fund the fight against hunger and violence through music.

Over the years, they have funded school kits for children, micro-financed small businesses, and provided health care services, especially in third-world countries.

Based on their website, every concert ticket sold from a campaign is equivalent to $1.50 that goes into the fund.

Some of Brandi Carlile’s shows also share a portion of the proceeds with the foundation. In 2017, she even released a benefit album called Cover Stories. Profits went to the War Child UK.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Brandi Carlile still married?

Brandi Carlile announced her engagement to Catherine Shepherd in June 2012. In September of the same year, they got married. They are blessed with two daughters and are still together to this day.

Shepherd is the Executive Director of the Looking Out Foundation. For ten years, she served as Paul McCartney’s charity coordinator.

When did Brandi Carlile come out?

Brandi Carlile revealed that she is a lesbian in a November 2002 interview. However, even as a teenager, she was already openly gay.

In her memoir, she shared that their pastor refused her baptism because of her sexuality.

Does Brandi Carlile have ADHD?

In her memoir, Carlile disclosed that she was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in her teenage years.

Key Takeaways

Brandi Carlile’s net worth not only speaks of her journey as a singer, songwriter, and producer. It also speaks volumes about how she tries to give back and make the world a better place.

Here are some of the key lessons from her inspiring story:

Stay Grounded

Brandi Carlile remains grounded and knows how to look back to her humble beginnings. First, she lives near her childhood residence. Second, she stays in the same place she bought in her early 20s—long before she became famous.

Brandi Carlile also knows how to keep people in her life. As a trio with the Hanseroth twins, they split earnings equally. To this day, they’re friends, who turned into family. They all live in the same Maple Valley area.

Pay It Forward

Brandi Carlile uses her background and platform to inspire change. She advocates for gender equality and age representation in the music industry. Plus, she vocally shares her experiences as an LGBTQ+ member.

Through her Looking Out Foundation, Brandi Carlile pays it forward and helps others in need.

Keep Learning

Brandi Carlile’s passion for music started with learning on her own. The good thing is she didn’t stop. From childhood to her teenage years, she kept honing her craft.

Now, as a famous musician, she constantly challenges herself by collaborating with other artists and producers.

Brandi Carlile has recorded songs and worked with Elton John, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tucker, Adele, and Sam Smith.

In 2019, she formed the Highwomen quartet with Maren Morris, Natalie Henby, and Amanda Shires. Their debut album topped the country charts and reached the US Top Ten.

In her career, she has worked with various producers, including T Bone Burnett, Rick Rubin, Dave Cobb, and Shooter Jennings.