Brandi Carlile’s Sad Gay versions of ‘Myself’

Eleven-time Grammy winner Brandi Carlile is diving deep into her emotional archives with a new release that promises an intensely intimate experience. She is bringing her critically acclaimed 2025 album, Returning to Myself, back to life as Returning to Myself (Sad Gay Version), reimagined for listeners seeking profound emotional self-indulgence.

This expanded edition isn’t just a re-recording; it’s an act of emotional archaeology. Carlile has taken the ten original songs and recast them through a more intimate lens, inviting the audience to sit at the edge of their bed and process complex feelings. The project is rooted in a unique musical philosophy she calls the “Sad Gay” genre—a space where heartbreak and self-reflection are celebrated without apology.

Carlile explains that this approach stems from her teenage years, when she loved actively seeking out music that explored difficult emotions by refusing to adhere to conventional labels. She describes listening to songs like Everybody Hurts by R.E.M., Language or the Kiss by the Indigo Girls, and tracks by Kate Bush and Tracy Chapman, allowing herself to spiral into pure emotional self-indulgence.

That adolescent ritual has now become a creative framework for her latest chapter. By revisiting these foundational sounds, Carlile is offering a deeply personal reflection on solitude and self-avoidance. “Returning to Myself has been such a profound journey,” she notes. “It’s taken me to places I never imagined and taught me a lot about my disdain for the solitary, as well as my own ridiculous pattern of self-avoidance.”

For this new iteration, Carlile returned to Long Pond Studio in upstate New York, co-producing four tracks alongside National’s Aaron Dessner. This collaboration further deepened the soundscape of the album, adding layers of sophisticated intimacy to her work.

The expanded release features exciting collaborations, including a work with Grammy-nominated electronic musician Jon Hopkins on the track “Human,” and a brand new version of Billy Joel’s classic “And So It Goes,” available exclusively on DSPs. The project will be released digitally on September 25 via Interscope Records/Lost Highway.

For dedicated fans, the physical edition offers exclusive collector appeal: a signed rainbow vinyl pressing will be available for pre-order through Carlile’s website by October 1st. This limited edition is a one-time opportunity to own this emotionally rich reimagining.

While exploring these sonic landscapes, Carlile is not retreating from the spotlight. She is actively engaging with audiences on the road, kicking off the second leg of The Human Tour with a sold-out show at Portland, Maine’s Cross Insurance Arena. The tour will continue through September, featuring dates at Colorado’s Red Rocks and headline appearances at the All Things Go festivals in New York and Washington, D.C.