With multiple GRAMMY nominations and a CMA Award under her belt, acclaimed singer- songwriter Brandy Clark is no stranger to the level of vulnerability that comes with making music people can relate to.
But on her new, self-titled album Clark dug even deeper. The result? An album that she dubs her most personal yet, and one that showcases true artistic ability in its most authentic form. It’s also a case study in the power of teamwork, as the album was produced by GRAMMY-Award winning artist Brandi Carlile. Ahead of Clark’s upcoming show at the Ryman Auditorium on October 25, she spoke with us about what this album means to her, the collaboration that helped shape it, and how it feels to be headlining such a storied venue.
No Place Like Home: This album is really like a return home, figuratively and literally. During the pandemic Brandi Carlile and I recorded a couple songs together and one of those songs, “Same Devil” was nominated for a GRAMMY. When we didn’t win that GRAMMY, Brandi leaned over to me and said, “Hey buddy I’d love to make a whole album on you.” And that was really intriguing to me. I said, “Oh wow, really?” And she said, “Yeah I’ve thought about it a lot and I see it as your return to the Northwest.” That was very intriguing to me because I had never written about being from the Northwest. It was a new challenge to go home to the Northwest and actually write a song “Northwest.” That was the literal return, working with Brandi who’s also from the Northwest. I think figuratively it was a return to my roots musically. It’s a much more striped back record. The songs are pretty bare emotionally. It does feel like coming home all the way around.
Dream Team: [Working with Brandi Carlile] was unlike any producer I’ve ever worked with, and I think it’s because she’s an artist. I feel like producers come from whatever their instrument is, and her instrument is her voice so that is where she really dug in and where I expected her to really dig in on the recording process. But more than her instrument being her voice I think it’s the fact that she’s an artist, that’s really her instrument. I’ve never been as challenged by a producer to get to the heart of who I am, and I’ve worked with great producers. I think at this point in my life and career working with Brandi was a real gift because she asked me some questions that were tough for me to answer when we would get into specific things on songs like, “Hey are you sure you want to say this? Is this what you really believe?” I’ve never had anybody say that to me, so it definitely moved me further into my own artistry. Even the choice of the songs, her choices surprised me. I asked her why she chose the songs she did, and she said, “Well, all the songs you sent me were great songs, but I chose the songs that I felt like you wrote in your bedroom.”That really hit me in the heart as the way I want to step forward creatively. You can get into the rhythm where you’re always trying to impress other songwriters, and I forget that’s not who I need to impress. I need to tell my truth because that’s going to be someone else’s truth who’s going to buy that record, who’s going to buy that ticket, who the song is going to change their life.
Looking Inward: Lenny Waronker who I work with at the label said, “Man, these songs are even more personal than the ones on Your Life is a Record.” I said, “Wow I don’t know how that can be because I wrote that about the breakup of a 15-year relationship.” He said, “Yeah but you were writing about a relationship, these you’re writing about you.” And I guess I was. I didn’t mean to do it, but that’s what I was doing. I wrote songs that I didn’t think would ever end up on a record like “She Smoked in the House.”That was just a song I had to write. I was missing my grandma and writing that song made me feel like she was with me. I never thought that would end up on a record and it did. I guess I’m just in a more personal season because Brandi couldn’t have helped me make those choices if those choices hadn’t been there to choose. It really does start with the songs, then her tenacity to help me get to the very bare bones of who I am artistically. I’m most proud of how personal [this album] is. I’m really proud to put a song like “Dear Insecurity” out into the world because that is a song that’s so honest; it’s my own insecurities. I see that as a song that can only do good in the world. And I’m proud of me and Brandi. I’m proud that we worked together on it. I’m proud that two women are lifting each other up instead of cutting each other down. I think as women we’re taught to cut each other down. I’m proud of us for doing it and for all of it. I’m really proud.
Milestone Moment: I’ve always wanted to play the Ryman; this is a bucket list-er for me. I’ve played as a supporting act, but this is my first time headlining it. [The audience] can expect a great show, and maybe a few special guests. There will be great openers. It’ll be a rollercoaster of emotions in the music. The first time I came to Nashville, the Ryman was one of the first places I had to go. The first time I played the Opry it was at the Ryman. I’ve seen so many shows there and it’s always an honor to stand in that circle. You’re out there, in that circle, and you just think of all the amazing artists that have played there and it’s just an iconic spot. It’s spiritual, and there’s just an energy there that I can’t even really describe. When you’re standing on that stage and you look out, your heart just beats a little quicker.