Elton John and Brandi Carlile deliver stellar performances on SNL following film premiere – KNEB.tv
After a jam-packed promotional tour for their upcoming album “Who Believes in Angels?”, Elton John and Brandi Carlile made an appearance on Saturday Night Live as the musical guests, marking the culmination of their promotional journey. Elton’s last visit to SNL was in 2011 when he served as both the host and musical guest, making this his third appearance on the show. Meanwhile, Brandi has also graced the SNL stage twice before as a musical guest in previous years.
Accompanied by the talented musicians from their new album, which included Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums and producer Andrew Watt on guitar, Elton and Brandi took to performing “Little Richard’s Bible” and the title track from the album on the SNL stage.
Their journey to this SNL performance had been documented in a 30-minute film titled “Stories from the Edge of Creation,” which premiered at the prestigious 92nd Street Y in New York City the previous day. Following the premiere, Elton, Brandi, Watt, and lyricist Bernie Taupin engaged in a discussion about the film. This film, along with the insightful conversation, is now available on YouTube, with certain explicit content edited out.
The film delves into the process of creating the album, showcasing moments when Elton, Brandi, and Watt presented their work to the record label and shared the creative process behind each track. In a candid conversation, all four artists shared laughs about Elton’s studio tantrums captured on camera, revealing moments when he tore up Brandi’s lyrics, lashed out at people, and even shed a few tears.
Elton admitted that his frustrations during the recording process often boiled over, leading to instances where he expressed his frustration profanely. However, these emotional outbursts were rooted in his desire to infuse the album with energy and produce a record that stood out from his previous works. Although he confessed to almost quitting the album several times, Elton recognized that his outbursts and emotional turbulence contributed an unexpected energy and dynamism to the final product.
Brandi commended Elton for his ability to poke fun at himself, to which Elton humorously responded that his antics sometimes left no choice but to find the humor in his own ridiculousness. The documentary and their candid conversation served as a window into the creative process and the emotional rollercoaster that led to the formation of their new album. Ultimately, the challenges and triumphs on this musical journey paved the way for a brilliant outcome on the record.