Brandi Carlile Performs on Saturday Night Live, Recites Thomas Jefferson

Brandi Carlile served as the musical guest on yesterday’s episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Miles Teller, delivering powerful performances of songs from her latest album, Returning To Myself.

Backed by a full band, Carlile performed “Church & State” and “Human” during the show. Notably, during “Church & State,” she incorporated a recitation of a letter penned by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists in 1802. This performance highlights Carlile’s tendency to blend musical artistry with historical and political commentary, a hallmark of her work.

This appearance marked Carlile’s fourth time as musical guest on SNL and her third this year alone, following performances at February’s SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and a collaborative performance with Elton John in April previewing their upcoming 2025 album, Who Believes in Angels?. Previous hosts this season have included Bad Bunny, Role Model, and Sabrina Carpenter.

The next episode of Saturday Night Live, scheduled for November 9th, will feature Nikki Glaser as host and Sombr as the musical guest, followed by Glen Powell and Olivia Dean on November 15th. The show’s producers confirmed that Carlile has no further appearances scheduled at this time.