Watch: Brandi Carlile soars in ‘Saturday Night Live’ debut

Brandi Carlile’s first appearance as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” was a memorable one.

Carlile and her band opened their performance on NBC’s late-night variety show by ripping through a rangy version of “Broken Horses,” then closed with a soaring “Right on Time” that stirred the crowd and probably blew a few minds on Saturday night.

The Grammy Award-winning Maple Valley singer has been on a roll since her 2018 album “By the Way I Forgive You” grabbed music fans by the lapels and continued that run with the release of “In These Silent Days,” her seventh album, earlier this month.

Carlile’s known for her vocal range, energized live shows and unique sense of style, and all three were on display during the appearance. She opened the show in a gold lamé suit and black tie flanked by songwriting partners Phil and Tim Hanseroth. She aimed her voice at the rafters right away on the opening notes of “Broken Horses,” a high-energy honky-tonk stomp performed loose and raw for the show.

She opened her performance of “Right on Time,” the lead single off “In These Silent Days,” seated at a baby grand piano. It’s a song she described as “euphoric” in an interview with The Seattle Times last summer, and she showed why as she worked her way up to the vocally adventurous chorus that includes an extended high note as she sings, “It wasn’t right — but it was right on time.”

The crowd cheered through the note before Carlile stood, strapped on her guitar and launched into the rest of the song in a white-and-black sequined pantsuit. She smiled and playfully flicked her guitar pick at the end of the performance.

Up next for Carlile is a Nov. 6 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City where she’ll perform Joni Mitchell’s album “Blue.” She’s also planning a tour in support of “In These Silent Days” with details coming soon.

Earlier Saturday, Carlile had posted a “how it started vs how it’s going” on Instagram, relaying how in 2018 she had wandered into the “SNL” studio looking for a bathroom and how she saw that stage as “a definitive ‘ok now you’re a rockstar’ moment in a persons musical life … ONE DAY we’ll get there man! Dreams come true everyday.”