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Brandi Carlile on Her New Live Album, Admiration for Elton John and Thoughts on Lady Gaga

4:41 PM PDT 5/2/2011 by Lesley Goldberg

A concert "becomes a Church," says the singer-songwriter, who releases 'Live at Benaroya Hall With the Seattle Symphony' this week.

You could say Brandi Carlile is in a league of her own. A stark contrast to heavily produced pop singers like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Ke$ha, Carlile’s focus is on music over image, history over headlines, grit over glam. In this age of American Idol, when building your audience organically is the hardest route to stardom, the openly gay Carlile did just that with 2007’s "The Story," which broke the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to become a sort of sleeper hit.

  1. Watch Video Greyson Chance Covering 'Paparazzi'

    Greyson Chance Covering 'Paparazzi'

    Within a couple weeks of the pianist-singer posting video performing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” for a rapt 6th grade audience, Ryan Seacrest and Ashton Kutcher had tweeted a link to the clip, and Chance was invited to play on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show.

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