Brandi Carlile's Wife and Daughters Adorably Introduce Her Performance at the 2023 Grammys

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: (L-R) Elijah Carlile, Catherine Shepherd, and Evangeline Ruth Carlile speak during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: (L-R) Elijah Carlile, Catherine Shepherd, and Evangeline Ruth Carlile speak during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )
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Kevin Winter/Getty Elijah Carlile, Catherine Carlile and Evangeline Carlile

In one of the sweetest moments of the 2023 Grammys, Brandi Carlile's wife and kids introduced the singer's electrifying performance of her hit song "Broken Horses."

Catherine Carlile, the Americana star's wife of 12 years, and their two daughters Evangeline, 8½, and Elijah, 4½, took to the Grammys stage to introduce Carlile's performance. Catherine stood between their two girls and proudly unveiled her wife as the next performer.

"Millions of viewers watching tonight fell in love with the next performer four years ago when she took the Grammys stage for the first time and delivered one of the most iconic performances in Grammy history," Catherine said, referencing Carlile's "The Joke" live performance that introduced new audiences to the singer-songwriter. "I was lucky enough to marry her more than a decade ago, so I was way ahead of you," she said cheekily.

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"It means the world to me to stand here tonight with our beautiful daughters by my side and introduce, in our humble opinion, one of the greatest, most authentic artists and human beings on the planet," Carlile's wife said to the crowd.

"Here to rock our faces off with 'Broken Horses' from the Grammy-nominated album In These Silent Days, my wife and their momma, Brandi Carlile," she said as their daughters leaned in and shouted their mom's name into the microphone.

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Carlile performed her song "Broken Horses" which earlier in the night won best rock performance and best rock song.

Grammys red carpet couples
Grammys red carpet couples

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Brandi Carlile and Catherine Shepard

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The Grammy-winning artist and social activist met her wife over the phone in 2009, when Shepherd was working for Beatles singer Paul McCartney's charity. The pair met in person in 2010 and tied the knot two years later — with three separate wedding ceremonies. In between walking red carpets and attending charity events together, the pair welcomed two children, daughters Evangeline Ruth and Elijah.

Now, more than 12 years later, Carlile and Shepherd's relationship is still going strong. "She's my best friend," Carlile told Howard Stern in 2021. "Absolute best friend, and arch-rival, and the person that I love to be around the most, and the person I hate to leave a room, and the person I argue with late into the night."

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On June 15, 2014, Carlile and Shepherd welcomed their first child, daughter Evangeline Ruth.

"Welcome to the world, kid!" Carlile wrote on Instagram when announcing her birth.

The couple used IVF treatments to get pregnant, harvesting Carlile's eggs for Shepherd to carry. Carlile later revealed to PEOPLE that she initially struggled with not being the one to carry Evangeline, but she eventually came to terms with her role. "I'm hoping people see through my story that there's no right or wrong way to evolve into a parenting role in either heterosexual or same-sex relationships," she said.

Carlile and Shepherd welcomed daughter Elijah on March 18, 2018. "But all the wonders I have seen, I will see a second time. I am the mother of Elijah," Carlile wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of her and a newborn Elijah.

Brandi Carlile, Evangeline Ruth Carlile and Catherine Shepherd arrives at the Premiere Of Disney And Pixar's "Onward" on February 18, 2020 in Hollywood, California
Brandi Carlile, Evangeline Ruth Carlile and Catherine Shepherd arrives at the Premiere Of Disney And Pixar's "Onward" on February 18, 2020 in Hollywood, California

Steve Granitz/WireImage

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Unlike their first pregnancy, the couple used IUI treatment to get pregnant a second time.

While Carlile may be the more prominent singer of the pair, Sheperd has some singing chops of her own. Alongside a video of the couple dueting her song "You and Me on the Rock," Carlile penned a touching tribute to her wife. "Catherine Carlile is a musician, singer and songwriter above all things … but she's spent the last 12 years running a foundation, managing our careers and wrangling our wild daughters while traveling to every corner of the globe. Or as Catherine would say 'we've been living in a bloody pinball machine!' "

She added, "My life's goal is to make her sing more. So I somehow managed to persuade her to sing "You and Me on the Rock" with me live in front of IMAX audiences across North America. Turns out I was more nervous than her! There is no greater gift in life than to sing a song with the person you wrote it for."

The 2023 Grammy Awards are airing live on CBS and Paramount+ Sunday night from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.