Nearly two years after Chris Cornell’s 2017 death, a tribute concert was held in honor of the late Soundgarden frontman. In a night filled with powerful moments, one standout came when Seattle native Brandi Carlile joined the surviving members of Soundgarden to close the show with “Black Hole Sun.”
Since then, Carlile has performed with Soundgarden on multiple occasions, becoming one of the band’s go-to singers to honor Cornell’s legacy. This past Saturday (Nov. 8th), she once again joined them during their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, performing “Black Hole Sun” alongside the band, singer Taylor Momsen, and Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell.
Now, in a new interview on The Howard Stern Show, Carlile revealed that her now-iconic 2019 performance at the Chris Cornell tribute concert almost didn’t happen. According to her, another singer was originally set to close the show – Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.
“At Chris Cornell’s tribute in L.A., Axl Rose was supposed to do it,” Carlile said. “And right at the last minute, he didn’t show up. And they were like, ‘Who knows it? Who knows it? Who knows it?’ I’m like, ‘I know it. I’m your girl. Let me do it.’”
“So, they put me in at the last minute to do it. And I just was, like, transformed by it. I loved singing it so much,” she continued.
“I love doing Black Hole Sun because Chris Cornell, who is like one of the great, great all-time singers, when he hits that chorus in Black Hole Sun, he goes down in pitch. Like, but my voice because I’m a girl, I can jump the octave. So, I’m going to go up in the chorus and really belt that chorus.”
Carlile has long maintained her love for Soundgarden, and has even expressed interest in fronting the band if they ever decide to go on tour – something which she reiterated during her Howard Stern interview.
“I wish I was doing ‘Searching With My Good Eye Closed.’ I used to cover that in all the bars,” she said of performing at Soundgarden’s Hall of Fame ceremony. “I would do five [songs] if they let me. I’d go on tour with them and sing, front that band.”
