Brandi Carlile’s ‘The Mother’ Video Captures All of Motherhood’s Beauty

Brandi Carlile's video for her song "The Mother" is a poignant tribute to the selfless women who raise us, and a perfect lead-up to Sunday's (May 12) special holiday for moms.

The video begins with the words "'The Mother,' dedicated to every mother, everywhere," projected over images of several homes set in quiet neighborhoods in the early morning hours. We then follow women from all different backgrounds as the video captures the tireless efforts of being a mother, beginning as their young children wake up them up to start the day.

While one mother makes breakfast, another brushes her daughter's hair before taking her to school. During the day, we see one mother assisting at her son's baseball game while another teaches her son karate.

Carlile also captures the more vulnerable side of motherhood by showing a mother breastfeeding her baby and another using a breast pump, giving the full scope of devotion that motherhood entails.

As these beautiful yet powerful images tell the story of motherhood, Carlile contributes her brilliant voice through poetic lyrics. The song was written to her own daughter, and uses her name: "You're nothing short of magical and beautiful to me / Oh, I'll never hit the big time without you / So they can keep their treasure and their ties to the machine / 'Cause I am the mother of Evangeline," she sings, serving as a wise spectator throughout the video.

The video concludes with these devoted caretakers putting their kids to bed, the final shot showing one of the moms waking up the next day to do it all over again.

The video was created by an all-female team and features New York City-area mothers Cheyenne Baer, Victoria Joseph, Snehi S. Kapur, Helena Paek, Sheila Williams, and Emily Rosario, along with their families. The moving song is featured on Carlile's acclaimed By the Way, I Forgive You, which was named Best Americana Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards. She wrote the song after becoming a mother to daughter Evangeline in 2014, the first child for her and wife Catherine Shepherd. They welcomed their second daughter Elijah in 2018.

Carlile recently teamed up with Maren Morris for the duet "Common" featured on Morris' 2019 project Girl. The two are also part of the all-female trio the Highwomen with Amanda Shires.

Who Is Brandi Carlile?