“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you”, Americana songstress Brandi Carlile smiles, pointing upwards across a sea of bleach-blonde quiffs, seemingly the uniform for Carlile fans in tribute to her own signature do. She’s speaking, of course, to old pal and collaborator Sir Elton John, who from his regal point of espial for a moment looks a bit like the Queen, though the illusion fades when his enormous dangly earrings catch the light. “I’m nervous though”, Carlile says, “this is the first time he’s ever been to one of my shows.”
2025 has been quite the year for Carlile. Her album release with Sir Elton was lauded his best work of the 21st Century by Rolling Stone; she’ll be playing a prime time slot on the Pyramid Stage next Saturday afternoon at Glastonbury; and she’s just embarked on her bumper Lost Time Tour of Europe, the first date of which was an expectedly barnstorming show on Friday night.
