Sara Bareilles
Encyclopedia
Sara Beth Bareilles is an American singer-songwriter
and pianist
. She achieved mainstream success in 2007 with the hit single
"Love Song
", which brought her into the number one spot on the Billboard
Pop 100
chart. She has sold over 1 million records in the United States
alone and has been Grammy-nominated three times. In the current third season of NBC's The Sing-Off
, Bareilles is a celebrity judge alongside Ben Folds
and Shawn Stockman
of Boyz II Men
.
, the youngest of three daughters of Bonnie Halvorsen (née Capellas), a funeral home
worker, and Paul Bareilles, an insurance adjuster. She was raised Catholic and participated in the high school choir, Limited Edition, and local community theater musical productions, including her high school's production of Little Shop of Horrors
as Audrey.
Bareilles attended the Communication Studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles
, where she was a member of the co-ed a cappella
group Awaken A Cappella, and can be heard on their Dysfunktional Family album singing "Gravity" and "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5
. The group's rendition of Bareilles' "Gravity" was featured on the Best of College A Cappella 2004 compilation CD. Sara also stated on MTV's TRL
that she and the band Maroon 5
have been acquainted since their younger days in California when the band was known as Kara's Flowers. She performed in the annual student concert UCLA Spring Sing
, winning twice.
and Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles), building a following before performing in larger venues. She issued two demos of mostly live tracks in 2003: The First One in April and The Summer Sessions in October. In 2004, she appeared as a singer in a bar in the indie film Girl Play
, performing the song "Undertow".
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions
. She signed a contract with Epic Records
on April 15, 2005. The remainder of the year and early 2006 were spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album. Her song, "Gravity," appears briefly in the 2006 independent film Loving Annabelle
.
In mid-2004 she opened for Rocco DeLuca and the Burden
during their inaugural headline tour, supported Guster
on their first UK tour and co-headlined a tour with Jon McLaughlin
. She toured as the opening act in 2006 for Marc Broussard's "Carencro" tour. In 2007, Bareilles toured as the opening act for Aqualung
and Mika
, and later that year opened for several shows on both Maroon 5 and Paolo Nutini
's U.S. tours. She also opened for James Blunt
on his U.S. Tour in association with VH1
You Oughta Know.
In June 2007, iTunes
featured Bareilles' single "Love Song" as the free single of the week. The following month, her major-label debut Little Voice
shot to #1 on the list of most downloaded albums of the music store in its first week of release, and debuted at #45 on the Billboard 200
chart. After being featured on a Rhapsody
commercial in 2007, "Love Song" began climbing the pop charts, jumping from #73 to #16 in one week. It entered the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
on December 27, 2007, and peaked at #4. On other charts, such as the Pop 100 and Hot AC, "Love Song" hit #1. Bareilles performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday, January 17, 2008, and on the Today show on Thursday, February 21, 2008. Soon after that, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
, peaking at #4. The music video was directed by Josh Forbes
and stars British actor Adam Campbell
.
As of 2010, Little Voice has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album peaked in the Billboard 200 at #7, and the UK Top 40 at #9. Bareilles' breakthrough single, "Love Song" has since been certified 3x platinum.
On October 28, 2008, Bareilles released "Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Fillmore
" on DVD and CD. The package is a recording of her first headlining tour at the famous Fillmore
in San Francisco. This package also included unique live recordings of her unreleased song "August Moon," as well as a cover of Otis Redding's "(Sittin on) the Dock of the Bay." She concluded the tour in her home town of Eureka, California on December 19, 2008, at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts.
She toured with Counting Crows
and Maroon 5 between July 22 and August 26, 2008. The first stop was Virginia Beach, Virginia
and the last stop Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
. Bareilles was selected as MTV artist of the week for July 7–11 and appeared again on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wednesday, July 9, 2008; and on December 9, 2008 (with Ingrid Michaelson
).
During the spring of 2009, Bareilles was on her second headlining tour, the "Gravity Tour," to promote the third and final single from her album Little Voice. She made her third appearance in Charlottesville, VA during UVA
's annual Springfest on March 28, her first as the opener for Marc Broussard in 2005 and the second being an opening
for Maroon 5. Bareilles also played multiple college shows in April and May. Some were for college students only and others were open to the public.
She sent out a special holiday message to fans on her mailing list and gave out a free live acoustic EP recorded during her Gravity Tour last Spring. The EP contains 7 acoustic songs, including a new song "Free Ride," "I'm On Fire" a Bruce Springsteen
cover duet with Tony Lucca
, and two speaking segments.
In early 2010, Bareilles recorded video of what she called "An Ode To Jersey Shore
" and posted it to her official website as a gag for fans.
, Bareilles began work on the follow-up to her major label debut in the summer of 2009, collaborating with the likes of Amir "Questlove" Thompson, members of Weezer
, and Pharrel Williams. As the songs began to take their final shape, Neal Avron
was assigned to produce, record, and mix the entire album. The album, eventually titled Kaleidoscope Heart
, was recorded at The Village Recorder and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles.
The first single from Kaleidoscope Heart, "King of Anything
," began receiving radio airplay in the US in May 2010, and was released for sale in June. "King of Anything" had its first play on the UK radio airwaves on Paul Kay's "Album Download" show on Mid-Wales commercial radio station "Radio Maldwyn - The Magic 756" in August 2010. "King of Anything" has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.
In anticipation of the new album, Bareilles released a series of webisodes, featuring the making of select songs from Kaleidoscope Heart, including "King of Anything," "Uncharted," "Gonna Get Over You," "Bluebird," and a strings-only version of "King of Anything." The first webisode also contains Sara writing the chorus for "Hold My Heart". She was selected as VH1's Posted Artist of the Month for July 2010, chronicling her life leading up to the album's release.
Kaleidoscope Heart was released on September 7, 2010 and debuted at number 1 in the United States, selling 90,000 copies. Interestingly, her previous album Little Voice re-entered the charts at number 200 in the same week, bookending the charts.
Bareilles toured in support of Kaleidoscope Heart from September to December 2010, with most of the shows being sold out. Bareilles toured Europe and parts of Asia and Australia with Maroon 5 throughout spring 2011. She embarked on a small headline "Uncharted" tour in April 2011 with openers Elizabeth & the Catapult
and Ximena Sariñana
in support of the second single from Kaleidoscope Heart "Uncharted
", which concluded April 23, 2011 in Memphis, Tennessee. She will also be opening select shows for country music duo Sugarland on their Summer 2011 Incredible Machine Tour. The third single off of Kaleidoscope Heart is "Gonna Get Over You," with a music video directed by Jonah Hill
.
On May 13, 2011, "Breathe Again" appeared in the Smallville
series finale for the wedding of Clark Kent
and Lois Lane
.
Bareilles was added in the third season of the NBC television series The Sing-Off as a celebrity judge, alongside Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. Bareilles also guest-starred on Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures
.
On August 13, 2011, the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand stage at the Indiana State Fair
collapsed right after Bareilles finished performing as the opening act for Sugarland. She was uninjured, tweeting "I'm speechless and feel so helpless," "My heart aches for the lives lost." Seven people died, and more than 45 were injured in the collapse.
to mezzo-soprano
, and is often compared to artists such as Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple
, Billy Joel
, Joni Mitchell
and Norah Jones
due to her vocal ability and incorporation of piano in her music. Her musical influences include Sarah McLachlan
, Nelly Furtado
, Alicia Keys
, Carole King
, Christina Aguilera
and Joni Mitchell.
Her sound is described as "slightly edgy, stompy piano-based pop rock
" that incorporates jazz
and soul
, with Bareilles finding inspiration from singers such as Etta James
and Sam Cooke
.
She is often praised for her songwriting abilities, with critics stating she "conveys vulnerability and wisdom in lyrics that speak honestly about relationships from a woman's point of view", and that her "writing voice is uniquely her own."
She plays the piano
, guitar
, ukulele
, and harmonium
.
, which was released on iTunes on July 14, 2009.
Bareilles performed with many other singers on the season 3 finale of 30 Rock
, alongside Mary J. Blige
, Rachael Yamagata
, Sheryl Crow
, Norah Jones and Elvis Costello
. She also appeared with Jim Radley on Jimmy Kimmel Live and AOL Sessions guest performing "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
" as well for a special performance on YouTube.
She has performed for the First Family
numerous times. Bareilles was first invited by First Lady Michelle Obama
to play at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh in September 2009. Here she performed songs for the First Ladies
of 20 nations and afterward dined with Michelle Obama. The Obamas again invited her to perform at the Easter Egg Roll in 2010. On October 20, 2010, it was announced that Bareilles would open for President Obama
at a Las Vegas rally for the Democratic midterm elections. In December, Bareilles and fellow singer Ingrid Michaelson performed "Winter Song" for the Obamas and many spectators at the National Christmas Tree
Lighting.
In December 2010, Bareilles appeared with The Backbeats on the season finale of The Sing-Off. She performed the duet "Love Won't Let You Get Away" with Seth MacFarlane
on his debut studio album Music Is Better Than Words
, and reunited to perform the song with him at Club Nokia on March 26, 2011.
Live albums
s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
. Bareilles has received three nominations.
|-
|rowspan="2"|
|rowspan="2"| "Love Song
" || Song of the Year
||
|-
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
||
|-
| || "King of Anything
" || Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ||
|-
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. She achieved mainstream success in 2007 with the hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
"Love Song
Love Song (Sara Bareilles song)
"Love Song" is Sara Bareilles' first single, released in 2007. She has stated during live performances that it was actually written in response to her record label's request that she write a "marketable love song," rather than about an actual person...
", which brought her into the number one spot on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
chart. She has sold over 1 million records in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alone and has been Grammy-nominated three times. In the current third season of NBC's The Sing-Off
The Sing-Off
The Sing-Off is an American television singing competition featuring a cappella groups. It premiered on NBC on December 14, 2009, and is produced by Sony Pictures Television....
, Bareilles is a celebrity judge alongside Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
and Shawn Stockman
Shawn Stockman
Shawn Patrick Stockman is an American R&B singer, best known as a member of the vocal group Boyz II Men. He is also a judge on the television show The Sing-Off, alongside Sara Bareilles and Ben Folds....
of Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
.
Early life
Bareilles was born and raised in Eureka, CaliforniaEureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
, the youngest of three daughters of Bonnie Halvorsen (née Capellas), a funeral home
Funeral home
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the deceased and their families. These services may include aprepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral....
worker, and Paul Bareilles, an insurance adjuster. She was raised Catholic and participated in the high school choir, Limited Edition, and local community theater musical productions, including her high school's production of Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman...
as Audrey.
Bareilles attended the Communication Studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where she was a member of the co-ed a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group Awaken A Cappella, and can be heard on their Dysfunktional Family album singing "Gravity" and "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
. The group's rendition of Bareilles' "Gravity" was featured on the Best of College A Cappella 2004 compilation CD. Sara also stated on MTV's TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
that she and the band Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
have been acquainted since their younger days in California when the band was known as Kara's Flowers. She performed in the annual student concert UCLA Spring Sing
UCLA Spring Sing
Spring Sing is UCLA's oldest and greatest musical tradition, an annual music competition held in May at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. The competition brings together UCLA students to perform as solo artists, duets, bands, and a cappella groups in front of an audience of over 7,000 UCLA students, alumni,...
, winning twice.
2002–2006: Career beginnings and Careful Confessions
After graduating from college in 2002, Bareilles performed at local bars and clubs (such as the Hotel CaféHotel Café
The Hotel Café is a live music venue located off an alley on the Cahuenga Boulevard strip in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California that has become known for helping to establish the careers of new singer-songwriters in the 2000s...
and Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles), building a following before performing in larger venues. She issued two demos of mostly live tracks in 2003: The First One in April and The Summer Sessions in October. In 2004, she appeared as a singer in a bar in the indie film Girl Play
Girl Play
Girl Play - a Female's Point of View is an indie film made in 2004 and directed by Lee Friedlander.-Summary:Robin, who has been married to her girlfriend for six years, and Lacie, who has never had a lasting relationship, are both cast to play lesbian lovers in a Los Angeles stage play...
, performing the song "Undertow".
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions
Careful Confessions
-Track listing:#"Gravity" – 3:58#"Undertow" – 4:42#"Love on the Rocks" – 4:18#"Responsible" – 4:33#"One Sweet Love" – 3:56#"Fairytale" – 2:50#"Come Round Soon" – 4:50#"Inside Out" – 5:19#"City" – 4:35...
. She signed a contract with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
on April 15, 2005. The remainder of the year and early 2006 were spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album. Her song, "Gravity," appears briefly in the 2006 independent film Loving Annabelle
Loving Annabelle
Loving Annabelle is a 2006 film directed by Katherine Brooks. Based on Mädchen in Uniform, it tells the story of a boarding school student who falls in love with her teacher. It was filmed at Marymount High School in Los Angeles.-Plot:...
.
In mid-2004 she opened for Rocco DeLuca and the Burden
Rocco DeLuca and the Burden
The California-based Rocco DeLuca and the Burden was originally formed as a four-piece American indie rock band in late 2005. The band no longer plays together, though DeLuca remains a solo artist and sometimes plays with close friends in concert....
during their inaugural headline tour, supported Guster
Guster
Guster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
on their first UK tour and co-headlined a tour with Jon McLaughlin
Jon McLaughlin
Jon McLaughlin is a pop rock singer-songwriter and pianist from Anderson, Indiana. His debut album Indiana was released on May 1, 2007, preceded by his first EP Industry, also known as Jon McL, in February 2007...
. She toured as the opening act in 2006 for Marc Broussard's "Carencro" tour. In 2007, Bareilles toured as the opening act for Aqualung
Aqualung (musician)
Matthew "Matt" Hales , better known as Aqualung, is an English singer and songwriter best known in the UK for his song "Strange and Beautiful", which was featured on a television advertisement for the new Volkswagen New Beetle during the summer of 2002 and went on to become a Top 10 hit in the UK...
and Mika
Mika (singer)
Mika is a British singer-songwriter.After recording his first extended play, Dodgy Holiday EP, Mika released his first full-length studio album, Life in Cartoon Motion, on Island Records in 2007. Life in Cartoon Motion sold more than 5.6 million copies worldwide and helped Mika win a Brit...
, and later that year opened for several shows on both Maroon 5 and Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
's U.S. tours. She also opened for James Blunt
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
on his U.S. Tour in association with VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
You Oughta Know.
2007–2008: Little Voice
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
featured Bareilles' single "Love Song" as the free single of the week. The following month, her major-label debut Little Voice
Little Voice (album)
Little Voice is the debut major-label album by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, which was released on July 17, 2007. Six of the tracks are re-recorded studio versions of songs from her previous album, Careful Confessions. A two-disc special edition of Little Voice with live acoustic tracks was...
shot to #1 on the list of most downloaded albums of the music store in its first week of release, and debuted at #45 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. After being featured on a Rhapsody
Rhapsody (online music service)
Rhapsody is an online music store subscription service, launched in December 2001, and available in the United States only. On April 6, 2010, Rhapsody officially declared its independence from RealNetworks. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Helix, Rhapsody's version...
commercial in 2007, "Love Song" began climbing the pop charts, jumping from #73 to #16 in one week. It entered the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on December 27, 2007, and peaked at #4. On other charts, such as the Pop 100 and Hot AC, "Love Song" hit #1. Bareilles performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday, January 17, 2008, and on the Today show on Thursday, February 21, 2008. Soon after that, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, peaking at #4. The music video was directed by Josh Forbes
Josh Forbes
Josh Forbes is an American music video director. He has directed videos for The Fray, Sara Bareilles, Good Charlotte, Alkaline Trio, Metro Station , Coheed and Cambria, Sea Wolf, Barenaked Ladies, and Ingrid Michaelson, and Jenny Owen Youngs. Forbes is signed to More Media for music videos and...
and stars British actor Adam Campbell
Adam Campbell (actor)
Adam Campbell is an English actor. Among his credits are roles in the American film parodies Date Movie, Epic Movie, and portrayed Cal Vandeusen in the horror miniseries Harper's Island.-Career:...
.
As of 2010, Little Voice has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album peaked in the Billboard 200 at #7, and the UK Top 40 at #9. Bareilles' breakthrough single, "Love Song" has since been certified 3x platinum.
On October 28, 2008, Bareilles released "Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Fillmore
Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Fillmore
Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Fillmore is Sara Bareilles' first live CD and first official concert released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. It was packaged as a CD + DVD or CD + BD bundle...
" on DVD and CD. The package is a recording of her first headlining tour at the famous Fillmore
The Fillmore
The Fillmore Auditorium is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California, made famous by Bill Graham. Named for its original location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it lies on the boundary of the Western Addition and the Pacific Heights neighborhoods.In 1968,...
in San Francisco. This package also included unique live recordings of her unreleased song "August Moon," as well as a cover of Otis Redding's "(Sittin on) the Dock of the Bay." She concluded the tour in her home town of Eureka, California on December 19, 2008, at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts.
She toured with Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
and Maroon 5 between July 22 and August 26, 2008. The first stop was Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
and the last stop Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
. Bareilles was selected as MTV artist of the week for July 7–11 and appeared again on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wednesday, July 9, 2008; and on December 9, 2008 (with Ingrid Michaelson
Ingrid Michaelson
Ingrid Ellen Egbert Michaelson is a New York-based indie-pop singer-songwriter. Her music has been featured in episodes of several popular television shows, including Scrubs, Bones, Grey's Anatomy The Big C and One Tree Hill, as well as in Old Navy's Fall 2007 Fair Isle and Opel's/Vauxhall's...
).
During the spring of 2009, Bareilles was on her second headlining tour, the "Gravity Tour," to promote the third and final single from her album Little Voice. She made her third appearance in Charlottesville, VA during UVA
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
's annual Springfest on March 28, her first as the opener for Marc Broussard in 2005 and the second being an opening
Opening act
An opening act or warm-up act is an entertainer or entertainment act that performs at a concert before the featured entertainer...
for Maroon 5. Bareilles also played multiple college shows in April and May. Some were for college students only and others were open to the public.
She sent out a special holiday message to fans on her mailing list and gave out a free live acoustic EP recorded during her Gravity Tour last Spring. The EP contains 7 acoustic songs, including a new song "Free Ride," "I'm On Fire" a Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
cover duet with Tony Lucca
Tony Lucca
Tony Lucca , is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and sometime actor. He is perhaps best known for starting his career on the Mickey Mouse Club. After the Mickey Mouse Club, Lucca went to LA for a brief career as an actor, then became a full-time musician, releasing over seven studio albums...
, and two speaking segments.
In early 2010, Bareilles recorded video of what she called "An Ode To Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore (TV series)
Jersey Shore is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on December 3, 2009 in the United States. The series follows the lives of eight housemates spending their summer at the Jersey Shore in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Season 2 followed the cast escaping the cold northeast...
" and posted it to her official website as a gag for fans.
2009–present: Kaleidoscope Heart and The Sing-Off
After an extended period of writer's blockWriter's block
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
, Bareilles began work on the follow-up to her major label debut in the summer of 2009, collaborating with the likes of Amir "Questlove" Thompson, members of Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, and Pharrel Williams. As the songs began to take their final shape, Neal Avron
Neal Avron
Neal Avron is an American musician, record producer, mixer, and audio engineer. Working predominately in rock music, Avron began working on records in 1993 and achieved his production breakthrough when he co-produced Everclear's 1997 album So Much For The Afterglow...
was assigned to produce, record, and mix the entire album. The album, eventually titled Kaleidoscope Heart
Kaleidoscope Heart
Kaleidoscope Heart received a 67% on Metacritic, resulting from generally favorable reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic rated the album with 4 stars out of 5 and has claimed positively that "Despite lushly detailed arrangements, Bareilles never pushes this distinctly commercial gift too...
, was recorded at The Village Recorder and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles.
The first single from Kaleidoscope Heart, "King of Anything
King of Anything
"King of Anything" is a song written and recorded by the American singer Sara Bareilles. The song was produced by Neal Avron. It was the first single of her album Kaleidoscope Heart. The song was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, though it ultimately lost to...
," began receiving radio airplay in the US in May 2010, and was released for sale in June. "King of Anything" had its first play on the UK radio airwaves on Paul Kay's "Album Download" show on Mid-Wales commercial radio station "Radio Maldwyn - The Magic 756" in August 2010. "King of Anything" has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.
In anticipation of the new album, Bareilles released a series of webisodes, featuring the making of select songs from Kaleidoscope Heart, including "King of Anything," "Uncharted," "Gonna Get Over You," "Bluebird," and a strings-only version of "King of Anything." The first webisode also contains Sara writing the chorus for "Hold My Heart". She was selected as VH1's Posted Artist of the Month for July 2010, chronicling her life leading up to the album's release.
Kaleidoscope Heart was released on September 7, 2010 and debuted at number 1 in the United States, selling 90,000 copies. Interestingly, her previous album Little Voice re-entered the charts at number 200 in the same week, bookending the charts.
Bareilles toured in support of Kaleidoscope Heart from September to December 2010, with most of the shows being sold out. Bareilles toured Europe and parts of Asia and Australia with Maroon 5 throughout spring 2011. She embarked on a small headline "Uncharted" tour in April 2011 with openers Elizabeth & the Catapult
Elizabeth & The Catapult
Elizabeth & The Catapult is a Brooklyn-based artist, consisting of singer-songwriter Elizabeth Ziman. She best known for her 2009 album Taller Children, produced by Mike Mogis and released on Verve Forecast.-History:...
and Ximena Sariñana
Ximena Sariñana
Ximena Sariñana Rivera is a Mexican singer-songwriter and actress. Sariñana's musical career was launched in 2008 with the release of her first studio album Mediocre, an adult contemporary pop-rock/vocal jazz album that has been critically acclaimed and nominated for various awards, including two...
in support of the second single from Kaleidoscope Heart "Uncharted
Uncharted (song)
"Uncharted" is a song written and recorded by the American singer Sara Bareilles. The song was produced by Neal Avron. It was the second single of her album Kaleidoscope Heart.- Background and history :...
", which concluded April 23, 2011 in Memphis, Tennessee. She will also be opening select shows for country music duo Sugarland on their Summer 2011 Incredible Machine Tour. The third single off of Kaleidoscope Heart is "Gonna Get Over You," with a music video directed by Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill Feldstein , known professionally as Jonah Hill, is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, and comedian. Hill is best known roles for his roles in Superbad, Knocked Up, and Get Him to the Greek. He made his theatrical debut in I Heart Huckabees, alongside Jason Schwartzman and Dustin...
.
On May 13, 2011, "Breathe Again" appeared in the Smallville
Smallville (TV series)
Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
series finale for the wedding of Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
and Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
.
Bareilles was added in the third season of the NBC television series The Sing-Off as a celebrity judge, alongside Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. Bareilles also guest-starred on Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures
Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures
Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures is an American teen sitcom that premiered on Nickelodeon July 1, 2011.-Premise:The series follows two friends from the fictional California town of Pacific Bluffs. Oftentimes, the boys act quite sporadically leading them to multiple conflicts.-Main...
.
On August 13, 2011, the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand stage at the Indiana State Fair
Indiana State Fair
The Indiana State Fair is an annual fair held in Indianapolis, Indiana, usually in the month of August. The first fair was held in 1881 and the 2009 fair had the highest number of attendees at 973,902....
collapsed right after Bareilles finished performing as the opening act for Sugarland. She was uninjured, tweeting "I'm speechless and feel so helpless," "My heart aches for the lives lost." Seven people died, and more than 45 were injured in the collapse.
Influences and musical style
Bareilles' vocal range registers from contraltoContralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
to mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
, and is often compared to artists such as Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Apple met international acclaim for her 1996 debut album, Tidal, which was a critical and commercial success...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
and Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
due to her vocal ability and incorporation of piano in her music. Her musical influences include Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
, Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
, Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
, Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
and Joni Mitchell.
Her sound is described as "slightly edgy, stompy piano-based pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
" that incorporates jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, with Bareilles finding inspiration from singers such as Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
and Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
.
She is often praised for her songwriting abilities, with critics stating she "conveys vulnerability and wisdom in lyrics that speak honestly about relationships from a woman's point of view", and that her "writing voice is uniquely her own."
She plays the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, and harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
.
Band members
Bareilles tours with regular band members Javier Dunn (guitar and vocals), Daniel Rhine (bass) and Joshua Day (percussion and vocals). Other musicians who have toured with her as part of her band include Eric Robinson (guitar and keys), Holly Conlan (backing vocals), and Philip Krohnengold (guitar and keys).Collaborations with other artists
In December 2008, a single with Ingrid Michaelson titled "Winter Song" was released off the compilation The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs. The two performed it on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and an animated video was released. She also recorded a song "Come Home," a duet with OneRepublicOneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...
, which was released on iTunes on July 14, 2009.
Bareilles performed with many other singers on the season 3 finale of 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, alongside Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
, Rachael Yamagata
Rachael Yamagata
Rachael Yamagata is an American singer-songwriter and pianist from Arlington, Virginia. She began her musical career with the band Bumpus before becoming a solo artist and releasing four EP's and three studio albums...
, Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, Norah Jones and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
. She also appeared with Jim Radley on Jimmy Kimmel Live and AOL Sessions guest performing "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
" I Want You To" is a song by American alternative rock/power pop band Weezer. It was released as the first single from the band's seventh studio album Raditude. Initially scheduled to be released to American rock radio on August 25, 2009, the official release of the single to radio was moved up to...
" as well for a special performance on YouTube.
She has performed for the First Family
First Family of the United States
The First Family of the United States is the unofficial title for the family of the President of the United States, who is both head of state and head of government of the United States. Members of the First Family consist of the President, the First Lady of the United States, and any of their...
numerous times. Bareilles was first invited by First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
to play at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh in September 2009. Here she performed songs for the First Ladies
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of 20 nations and afterward dined with Michelle Obama. The Obamas again invited her to perform at the Easter Egg Roll in 2010. On October 20, 2010, it was announced that Bareilles would open for President Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
at a Las Vegas rally for the Democratic midterm elections. In December, Bareilles and fellow singer Ingrid Michaelson performed "Winter Song" for the Obamas and many spectators at the National Christmas Tree
National Christmas Tree (United States)
The National Christmas Tree is a large evergreen tree located in the northeast quadrant of the The Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C. Each year since 1923, the tree has been decorated as a Christmas tree. The grand illumination of the Christmas lights on the tree by the President of...
Lighting.
In December 2010, Bareilles appeared with The Backbeats on the season finale of The Sing-Off. She performed the duet "Love Won't Let You Get Away" with Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
on his debut studio album Music Is Better Than Words
Music Is Better Than Words
The album received mixed reviews. Slant Magazine described it as "a novelty record" and wrote,“Collaborating with Joel McNeely on arrangements, MacFarlane casts Music Is Better Than Words as a tribute to the big-band swing and sterling pop of the Rat Pack, but he wisely avoids choosing songs that...
, and reunited to perform the song with him at Club Nokia on March 26, 2011.
Discography
Studio albums- 2004: Careful ConfessionsCareful Confessions-Track listing:#"Gravity" – 3:58#"Undertow" – 4:42#"Love on the Rocks" – 4:18#"Responsible" – 4:33#"One Sweet Love" – 3:56#"Fairytale" – 2:50#"Come Round Soon" – 4:50#"Inside Out" – 5:19#"City" – 4:35...
- 2007: Little VoiceLittle Voice (album)Little Voice is the debut major-label album by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, which was released on July 17, 2007. Six of the tracks are re-recorded studio versions of songs from her previous album, Careful Confessions. A two-disc special edition of Little Voice with live acoustic tracks was...
- 2010: Kaleidoscope HeartKaleidoscope HeartKaleidoscope Heart received a 67% on Metacritic, resulting from generally favorable reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic rated the album with 4 stars out of 5 and has claimed positively that "Despite lushly detailed arrangements, Bareilles never pushes this distinctly commercial gift too...
Live albums
- 2008: Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the FillmoreBetween the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the FillmoreBetween the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live at the Fillmore is Sara Bareilles' first live CD and first official concert released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. It was packaged as a CD + DVD or CD + BD bundle...
- 2011: Live From Soho
Television/film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Girl Play Girl Play Girl Play - a Female's Point of View is an indie film made in 2004 and directed by Lee Friedlander.-Summary:Robin, who has been married to her girlfriend for six years, and Lacie, who has never had a lasting relationship, are both cast to play lesbian lovers in a Los Angeles stage play... |
Singer in Bar | |
| 2004 | Fairytale | Princess | Video short |
| 2008 | Walmart Soundcheck | Herself | "Sara Bareilles" (Season 3, episode 3) |
| 2011 | Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures is an American teen sitcom that premiered on Nickelodeon July 1, 2011.-Premise:The series follows two friends from the fictional California town of Pacific Bluffs. Oftentimes, the boys act quite sporadically leading them to multiple conflicts.-Main... |
Herself | "Epic Rockstar" (Season 1, episode 7) |
| 2011–present | The Sing-Off The Sing-Off The Sing-Off is an American television singing competition featuring a cappella groups. It premiered on NBC on December 14, 2009, and is produced by Sony Pictures Television.... |
Judge | Seasons 3–present; 11 episodes |
Awards and nominations
The Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
. Bareilles has received three nominations.
|-
|rowspan="2"|
|rowspan="2"| "Love Song
Love Song (Sara Bareilles song)
"Love Song" is Sara Bareilles' first single, released in 2007. She has stated during live performances that it was actually written in response to her record label's request that she write a "marketable love song," rather than about an actual person...
" || Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
||
|-
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
||
|-
| || "King of Anything
King of Anything
"King of Anything" is a song written and recorded by the American singer Sara Bareilles. The song was produced by Neal Avron. It was the first single of her album Kaleidoscope Heart. The song was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, though it ultimately lost to...
" || Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ||
|-