WATCH: Brandi Carlile Performs Stunning Cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’ on ‘Colbert’
Brandi Carlile offered a miniature encore to her recent Carnegie Hall performance of the Joni Mitchell album Blue on the Nov. 8 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Appearing as both an interview guest and a featured performer on the show, Carlile discussed her Carnegie Hall tribute performance on Nov. 6 in honor of Mitchell's 78th birthday, her second time performing Blue in its entirety after a 2019 rendition in Los Angeles.
Check out the video of her performing the title track on Colbert below:
After needing to be hypnotized before the L.A. performance to calm her nerves, Carlile explained on The Late Show that she felt more settled this time around, choosing to abstain from alcohol in the weeks leading up to the concert. Afterwards, she opted for a special post-show ritual.
"I had a shot of tequila and I called Joni," she told Colbert.
Carlile is a friend of Joni Mitchell's, and has cited her as a major influence on her new album In These Silent Days. Following the interview, she also performed "This Time Tomorrow," a "beautiful little life-affirming lullaby" from the album.
She's also a frequent attendee of Joni's regular in-house jam sessions. Recently, Carlile told Apple Music about a particularly stunning moment at a recent session, where she witnessed Mitchell picking up a guitar for the first time in years to perform "Come in for the Cold" for Carlile, Marcus Mumford, Kathy Bates, Dawes, and Phoebe Bridgers.
"When your life flashes before your eyes, you're gonna remember those jams," she told Colbert.
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