When Brandi Carlile first headlined a concert at the State Theatre in 2017, she was 12 years into her recording career and popular enough to sell the building out, but there was still something of a “best-kept secret” vibe about her.

When she returned to that stage for a solo show Monday, it was clear the secret has long been out. Not only has she performed at the larger Thompson’s Point venue three times since 2017, but she’s gone on to buildings like Madison Square Garden and TD Garden. A week before the State Theatre gig, she performed on the Grammys telecast before an audience of over 12 million people.

It was a special treat for concert-goers in Portland, a city she clearly loves playing, to witness Carlile scaling back to basics as a respite from the celebrity whirlwind. With just an acoustic guitar (and occasionally a piano) and a microphone, she harkened back to her open-mic days, even opening the show with “Follow,” the first song from her first album. As if to trace how far she’s progressed since then, she followed that song with “Broken Horses,” the composition that just netted her the Grammy for best rock song.

That song, as with many in the evening, took on striking new qualities without the “rock” part. While Carlile has graduated to the world of flashy wardrobes, Hilton commercials, and being besties with Elton John, she is also in the enviable position of being known as a writer first. Her work details a variety of subjects with a clear perspective and open heart, and the stripped-down show was a superb vehicle to show off her craftsmanship.

As the concert wore on, it grew apparent that she didn’t need a rock band to rock, anyway. Her voice is so strong that she could make the bombastic jumps in songs like “The Story” and “The Joke” without accompaniment, and her singing rang off the rafters in showstoppers like “Right on Time.” Her guitar playing was in fine form, whether finger-picking or playing with propulsive force. She even performed a cover of Robyn’s dance-pop hit “Call Your Girlfriend” in an acoustic arrangement without coming off as maudlin or gimmicky.

In between the songs, she cracked jokes and spoke at great length about her life and the inspiration behind her writing. It gave the entire performance a warm, personal feeling, as if her songs were her home and she was inviting you in. When her wife, Catherine Shepherd Carlile, joined her on stage for some smooches and a duet on three songs, including a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “The Promise,” it felt of a piece with the relaxed set – and a lovely touch for the day before Valentine’s Day.

This all speaks to the quality of Carlile’s appeal, and why she has enjoyed such a successful rise to fame. The best thing about her concerts, whether full-band or solo, big or small, is that she possesses the unique gift of making audience members feel like they’re sharing a genuine moment with her. Portland was lucky that we got to share this one.

Robert Ker is a freelance writer in Portland. He can be reached at bobzker@gmail.com.

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