Returning to Myself

Returning to Myself
Studio album by Brandi Carlile
Released	October 24, 2025 (2025-10-24)
Studio	Long Pond (Hudson Valley) Henson (Hollywood)
Length	43 minutes
Label	Interscope Lost Highway
Producer	Brandi Carlile Andrew Watt Aaron Dessner Justin Vernon
Brandi Carlile chronology
Who Believes in Angels? (2025) Returning to Myself (2025)
Singles from Returning to Myself
"Returning to Myself" Released: September 3, 2025 "A War with Time" Released: October 6, 2025 "Church & State" Released: October 17, 2025

Returning to Myself is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, released on October 24, 2025, via Interscope and Lost Highway. ^[1] It was announced on September 3, 2025, alongside the release of the title track as the lead single and its Floria Sigismondi-directed music video. ^{[2] [3]}

Background and composition

In 2023, after her seventh studio album In These Silent Days (2021), Brandi Carlile had started to write and record songs with Elton John, including the collaboration "Never Too Late", ^[4] the theme to John's 2024 documentary of the same name, which was nominated for Best Original Song at the 97th Academy Awards. ^[5] The two artists released the collaborative album Who Believes in Angels? on April 4, 2025, through Interscope Records. ^[6]

Between 2024 and 2025, Carlile worked on a solo recording project with Andrew Watt, Aaron Dessner, and Justin Vernon at Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley and Henson Studios in Hollywood. ^{[7] [8]} Inspiration for Returning to Myself came from Emmylou Harris's album Wrecking Ball (1995). ^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	82/100 [9]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
Associated Press	[11]
Mojo	[12]
Rolling Stone UK	[13]

Returning to Myself received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Metacritic, the album received a score of 82 out of 100 based on four reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". ^[9]

Lee Campbell of Rolling Stone UK wrote that the album "finds the singer-songwriter at her most philosophically engaged" and "at her most honest, insightful and reflective best", in which she "confronts mortality without flinching while insisting that togetherness remains our finest achievement". ^[13] Marcy Donelson of AllMusic described the album "personal, especially reflective one that notably features quieter, tenderer vocal performances from Carlile", praising the "contemplative, wistfully melodic, and rooted in a bolstered folk sensibility". ^[10]

Track listing

Returning to Myself track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Returning to Myself"	Brandi Carlile	Carlile Andrew Watt	4:17
2.	"Human"	Carlile Watt Phil Hanseroth Tim Hanseroth	Carlile Watt Justin Vernon Aaron Dessner	4:20
3.	"A Woman Oversees"	Carlile	Carlile Watt	4:26
4.	"A War with Time"	Carlile Dessner	Carlile Dessner Watt	4:02
5.	"Anniversary"	Carlile	Carlile Dessner	3:55
6.	"Church & State"	Carlile Watt P. Hanseroth T. Hanseroth	Carlile Watt	4:18
7.	"Joni"	Carlile	Carlile Watt	4:08
8.	"You Without Me"	Carlile Watt Elton John Bernie Taupin	Watt	4:39
9.	"No One Knows Us"	Carlile Dessner	Carlile Dessner Watt	4:23
10.	"A Long Goodbye"	Carlile Watt P. Hanseroth T. Hanseroth	Carlile Watt	4:47

Personnel

• Brandi Carlile – vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 2–4, 6–7, 9–10), production (1–7, 9–10), acoustic guitar (1, 7), piano (1), electric guitar (2), Wurlitzer (2), Rhodes piano (3), guitar (8–10)
• Andrew Watt – production (1–4, 6–10), engineering (1), electric guitar (1–3, 6, 9–10), bass (2, 4, 8), percussion (2–3, 7, 9–10), synthesizer (3–4, 6, 10), guitar (4), piano (4, 7), acoustic guitar (6)
• Justin Vernon – background vocals (4), production (2), synthesizer (1–2, 10), electric guitar (1–2), acoustic guitar (2, 10), piano (2, 4)
• Aaron Dessner – production (2, 4–5, 9), organ (1), electric guitar (2, 4, 9), synthesizer (2, 4, 9), piano (4, 9), acoustic guitar (4–5, 9), percussion (4, 9), drum programming (4), Mellotron (5), synth bass (5), shaker (5), upright piano (5), electric bass (5)
• Josh Klinghoffer – synthesizer (1, 3–4, 6, 8, 10), pedal steel guitar (1), electric guitar (4), piano (6), keyboards (8), organ (8)
• Phil Hanseroth – bass (2–3, 6, 9–10), electric guitar (2)
• Tim Hanseroth – electric guitar (2, 6), acoustic guitar (3–4, 10), guitar (9)
• Matt Chamberlain – drums (2, 4, 6, 9–10), percussion (2, 4, 6)
• Chad Smith – drums (2, 7), percussion (2)
• Dave Mackay – organ (2), synthesizer (2)
• Stewart Cole – trumpet (2), French horn (2)
• SistaStrings – strings (5)
• Rob Moose – strings (5, 9)
• Blake Mills – electric guitar (7), acoustic guitar (7)
• Mark Isham – tenor saxophone (7)
• Elton John – Rhodes piano (8)
• Paul Lamalfa – engineering (1)
• Marco Sonzini – engineering (1)
• Bryce Bordone – engineering (1–2, 4, 6)
• Serban Ghenea – mixing (all tracks)
• Pete Lyman – mastering (1–7, 9–10)
• John Hanes – immersive mixing (3–4, 6)
• Matt Colton – mastering (8)

References

1. Paul, Larisha (September 3, 2025). "Brandi Carlile Is 'Returning to Myself' With First Album in Four Years". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
2. Fu, Eddie (September 3, 2025). "Brandi Carlile Announces New Album Returning to Myself, Unveils Title Track". Consequence. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
3. Daw, Stephen (September 3, 2025). "Brandi Carlile Is Coming Back to Her Solo Career With New Album 'Returning to Myself'". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
4. Snapes, Laura (February 7, 2025). "'He smashed his iPad and headphones. My lyrics got torn up': inside Elton John and Brandi Carlile's explosive duets album". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved April 14, 2025.
5. Breihan, Tom (November 15, 2024). "Elton John & Brandi Carlile Team Up On New Song "Never Too Late": Listen". Stereogum . Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
6. Strauss, Matthew (February 5, 2025). "Elton John and Brandi Carlile Announce Album, Shares New Song "Who Believes in Angels?": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
7. Willman, Chris (September 3, 2025). "Brandi Carlile Announces First Solo Album in Four Years, 'Returning to Myself,' and Releases Video for Title Track". Variety. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
8. Ryzik, Melena (October 17, 2025). "Brandi Carlile Climbed Music's Peak. Then She Had to Start Over". New York Times . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
9. "Returning To Myself by Brandi Carlile Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved October 24, 2025.
10. Donelson, Marcy. "Returning to Myself Review by Marcy Donelson". AllMusic . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
11. Ryan, Elise (October 22, 2025). "Music Review: Brandi Carlile looks inward on the great 'Returning to Myself'". Associated Press . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
12. Simmons, Sylvie (October 23, 2025). "Brandi Carlile Returning To Myself Reviewed: A pearl from the new queen of Laurel Canyon". Mojo . Retrieved October 23, 2025.
13. Campbell, Lee (October 22, 2025). "Brandi Carlile 'Returning to Myself' review: A superb sonic evolution from Americana star". Rolling Stone UK . Retrieved October 23, 2025.