Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips chatted about her upcoming recognition at the 2026 She Rocks Awards, and being a part of the digital age.
Scottish novelist and essayist Robert Louis Stevenson once said: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” The quote applies to Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips.
Background on Carnie Wilson
A five-time Grammy-nominated artist and member of the successful group Wilson Phillips, Carnie has defined a multi-faceted career spanning nearly four decades.
Wilson Phillips consists of sisters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, as well as Chynna Phillips.
The daughter of Brian Wilson, the legendary founding member of The Beach Boys, Carnie has carried forward a powerful musical legacy while forging her own path as a singer, songwriter, television host, author, actress, and mental health advocate.
Carnie has spent decades speaking openly about her experiences with addiction, postpartum depression, body image, recovery, and motherhood—work she describes as her “life’s purpose.”
She continues touring with Wilson Phillips and her daughter Lola while building new culinary ventures and serving as a paid spokesperson for Neurocrine Biosciences.
Carnie on her 2026 She Rocks Awards honor
The 14th annual She Rocks Awards will take place on Friday, January 23rd at the Anaheim Hilton in California during the NAMM Show.
Her authenticity, resilience, and commitment to lifting others make her an inspiring addition to this year’s She Rocks honorees.
On being honored at the She Rocks Awards, Carnie remarked, “Isn’t that wonderful? I try to stay humble. So, there’s a part of me that says, ‘Wait, I don’t deserve this. What do you mean? There are so many people out there, you know?’ I’m just in really great company.”
“I’m very honored to be honored,” she expressed. “There are a lot of great women, which include singers and bass players. Again, I’m in really great company, and I always want to be some kind of inspiration.”
“That’s usually the main undercurrent. I am just trying to be real and to inspire,” she said.
Forthcoming performance at the She Rocks Awards
On her forthcoming She Rocks Awards performance, she shared, “Well, I will be singing with my daughter and my husband. We’re singing ‘California Dreamin’’ by The Mamas & The Papas. That should be really cool, especially since Chynna Phillips is my bandmate.”
“I’m looking forward to that song. I’m looking forward to seeing all the honorees and Vicki Peterson, who I love so much,” she said.
“I’m excited for my children and my husband to be there along with my mom and her husband. That whole night is going to be really fun. I think there’s going to be a lot of buzzing energy. It’s all music,” she elaborated.
“I’m so excited for this award show. I’m will be in some great company with other talented women,” she added.
‘American Idol’ experience for her daughter
On her daughter, Lola Bonfiglio’s “American Idol” experience, Carnie said, “Well, it was good. She made it through Hollywood and then she got voted off or eliminated so that was hard.”
“Also, she went through a breakup, so that was really sad but then she wrote all of these great songs after that, and I’m like ‘Hey, there you go!’ I am really proud of her! She is a beautiful singer,” Carnie elaborated.
“We sing every day together,” Carnie said. “There is always singing going on and she’s singing, playing the guitar, piano, whistling, every day. My daughter, Lola, has something special, which reminds me of Joni Mitchell’s music. Her tone is beautiful and her pitch is amazing.”
Lola was in the same season of “American Idol” as Slater Nalley, and Carnie praised the young rising country artist. “Slater was great,” she exclaimed. “We are a fan of Slater’s. We couldn’t believe all the mix of talent that show had.”
90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut
Carnie opened up about being a part of 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut this past year with Wilson Phillips.
“That was fun! We did it all together as Wilson Phillips, and then, we performed and we did the panel. It was awesome,” she exclaimed.
“90s Con made me realize that I have a lot of friends in the business,” she noted.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Carnie said, “I don’t relate to anything that is happening right now, to be honest with you. I just don’t. I’m still riding in my car, and I’m still analog. I’m not with it. I cannot keep up with these things.”
“I just want to listen to music, even though now we download everything on our phones. I put on Seal, Sade, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Earth, Wind & Fire. I’m just stuck there, and I’ll never leave,” she said.
“I’m trying to be on social media. I think it’s important,” she noted. “I feel like I’m stuck in a bubble a little bit, and that’s okay.”
Resurgence of vinyl
On the recent resurgence of vinyl, Carnie said, “I love that! My husband has thousands of albums. He is a big collector, and he loves jazz. Even though he is rock, he is jazz too.”
“I love our musical household. Our piano is 100 years old. We are sort of in a time warp in our house. We can’t help it,” she added.
‘Hold On’
For Carnie, “Hold On” is the gift that keeps on giving. “Hold on for one more day. I think that’s what everybody just needs to do,” she said. “We all feel it!”
“I’m very grateful for that song. I’m grateful for all of our music and the people that still come out to watch us sing. It is wonderful,” she acknowledged. “It’s a good place in my life right now. I am appreciating things a lot more.”
“I have two kids. I’m a mother of a 20-year-old and a 16-year-old. The house is busy, and there are lot of things going on,” she added.
Key to longevity in music
Regarding the key to longevity in the music business, Carnie said, “Obviously, it’s the songs that are relatable.”
“I think that lyrics are really important but also, there is something about the sound of a record. I think the music of Harry Styles, Adele and Lady Gaga is going to be around forever. All three of these artists are just so original,” she elaborated.
“I do believe that having a certain sound will sort of keep you in there. I do think we have a sound, so I think that’s really what it’s all about,” she said.
Advice for young and emerging artists
For young and aspiring artists, Carnie said, “Just stay authentic to yourselves. Don’t compare yourselves to other people because there is enough room for everyone.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, stay true to yourself, and just do what you want to do. I know that you have to stay positive, but work is work,” Carnie said. “I mean, it was not handed to us. We might have gotten in the door to have a record company listen to us, but we had to shop for our record deal.”
“We wrote our songs, we toured, we worked our asses off and we had to work hard for the rewards. You can’t just sit back. You’ve got to be active and go get it. That’s really important. Believe in yourself,” she underscored.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Carnie said with a sweet laugh, “Menopause.”
“Jesus Christ; this is not easy,” she jokingly laughed. “It’s really gnarly.”
“My mother always says, ‘you never know what’s around the corner.’ So, it’s never too late to do anything you want to do. If the have the visions and goals, then go for it,” she said.
Dream duet choice in music: Ann Wilson of Heart
Carnie listed the “Queen of Rock” Ann Wilson of Heart as her dream duet choice in music.
“I’ve always wanted to sing ‘Don’t Give Up’ with Ann Wilson. It’s by Peter Gabriel and he did it as a duet with Kate Bush. I’ve always wanted to sing that with Ann Wilson. I would take the Peter Gabriel part, and she would take the Kate Bush part,” she said.
“I also love John Mayer. I’m obsessed with him, and I would love to sing harmonies with him,” she added.
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, Carnie said, “Success does not mean money, that’s for sure! It doesn’t mean fame. Success just means that you’ve set a goal out there and you did what you said or what you wanted to do.”
“So, that could be anything. It could be running a marathon or fixing a pipe, or treating a patient who has cancer. It could be having a baby or starting a nonprofit. It could be anything that you set out to do, and you do it. Also, success means trying,” she explained.
“Success is not having the highest rating or the biggest sales. It’s not that. I’ve had many failures that people would consider a failure,” she said.
“I’ve had records that were released but didn’t sell a lot. I’ve had books that didn’t sell a lot. Believe me, I’ve had my taste of that,” she revealed.
“When I do something, I put my heart, my soul into it. That is what matters. That’s success,” she acknowledged.
Remembering her father Brian Wilson
Her father, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Brian Wilson (co-founder of The Beach Boys) passed away in June of 2025 at the age of 82.
“That was hard. It still is really hard,” she said. “I think he visited me in a dream a couple of nights ago, actually. I always feared it, and then I spent a lot of time with him for the last couple of years of his life. That was really nice.”
“We really, really bonded about a lot of things. He loved it when we came over. He loved my cooking, and he loved to sing with me. He would be on his chair and he would sing Elton John with me. He was singing a little bit less and less but he loved my voice,” she elaborated.
“He would always tell me that I sound like Karen Carpenter, and I would tell him ‘no, I don’t.’ He was a funny man, and I miss him so much. It’ just really hard,” she noted.
“When we go out on tour and when we sing his songs, it’s even more of an honor now. My father was always the most unique and special person,” she said.
In September of 2019, Brian Wilson performed with The Zombies at Beacon Theatre in New York City. “I love Colin Blunstone and his voice. The Zombies are always amazing live,” Carnie exclaimed. “Colin still sounds great. He is incredible!”
“People would just be really blown away just to be in my father’s presence. My father and The Beach Boys have made beautiful music that they created, and the impact that they’ve had is tremendous.”
“The music of The Beach Boys is deep, rich, fun, sad, and meaningful. It’s an incredible catalog of songs,” she added.
Message for her fans
For her fans and supporters, Carnie said, “It takes a village.”
“I love to be a part of everybody’s village. That’s it. I always want to say ‘thank you’ to people that have listened to the music and supported me whether I’m hosting a TV show or writing a book or sharing my family life,” she elaborated.
“I appreciate the other moms out there, and women that work hard. I appreciate people that love music. I will always be grateful because without the fans, we have nothing,” she concluded.
For more information on Carnie Wilson, follow her on Instagram.
To learn more about Wilson Phillips, follow them on Instagram and visit their Facebook page.
