Brandi Carlile volunteers to be the singer of Soundgarden

Brandi Carlile has just released a new album, In these days of silence, but she is already thinking of herself next big career goal: become the singer of Soundgarden. While on the Rolling Stone music now podcast, the alternative country singer volunteered to voiced by Chris Cornell, who died in 2017. She said she would “take the time” to tour as the singer of Soundgarden and added that she “liked [Cornell] so many. [She] was so devastated when he left us.

Many groups have had prolific singers replacing the lead singers who have passed away. Dead & Company inexplicably went with John Mayer as co-singer, and Queen brought Adam Lambert to replace Freddie Mercury. But Carlile makes perfect sense to replace Cornell. She’s just from outside of Seattle and has idolized the group for decades, as she explained on the podcast. It’s not easy to match Cornell’s powerful and instantly recognizable voice, but hers pairs well with Soundgarden’s songs – and she’s no stranger to playing with the band, either.

Carlile covered the band’s classic song “Black Hole Sun” with Guns N ‘Roses at Cornell’s 2019 tribute show I Am The Highway. She also recorded a version of the song – as well as “Searching With My Good Eye Closed” –with the surviving members of Soundgarden for Record Store Day 2020. Recently on tour, the band members joined Carlile on stage to perform both pieces.

In other Carlile stories, the singer-songwriter is set to perform Saturday Night Live October 23, with Jason Sudeikis on hosting functions. She with enthusiasm tweeted, “I have waited all my life to make this announcement! Live from New York it’s Saturday night !! Can you even believe we’re arriving the same night as the wonderful @jasonsudeikis? I can’t wait to shake Ted Lasso’s neck !! ”