(The Recording Academy asked some of this year's first-time GRAMMY nominees to collect their thoughts and share what it feels like to be nominated for a GRAMMY.)

I was on a very early flight home from NYC, the twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth were snoring next to me with their identical mouths hanging open and their identical hoodies pulled over their identical bald heads.

Brandi Carlile & Friends had just played the Beacon Theatre for the WFUV holiday concert, where Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings had just properly schooled me! I got a text from Jon Salter at ATO Records that simply said, "Holy s***, congratulations," so I assumed the show had gotten a good review and I looked for it. When I didn't find it, I sent him a response asking him what the hell he was talking about, to which he replied, "The GRAMMY nomination." It didn't even occur to me that he had the right recipient. I immediately assumed he thought that he was texting my labelmate Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes.

So, I hit him back: "Wrong singer, this is Brandi Carlile."

I'm sure you can guess how the rest of the flight went — a lot of yelling and climbing over other passengers, high fives and lots of early morning drinking!

We were completely shocked and beyond honored. The nomination is one of the great compliments of my life and I won't soon forget it.

Jan. 15 was the first time I was ever introduced as a GRAMMY nominee and it was from the mouth of Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show." It gave me chills and it finally settled in that from now on, we’re a GRAMMY nominee.

The best of times.

(Brandi Carlile is nominated for Best Americana Album for The Firewatcher's Daughter. The album topped Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart and peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200.)

Tune in to the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards live from Staples Center in Los Angeles on Monday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS.