Sara Bareilles

"Compare where you are to where you wanna be and you'll get nowhere." This lyric from Sara Bareilles's song, "Uncharted," serves as a synopsized version of the singer-songwriter's musical career. Although she's now a triple-Grammy-nominated, recognized musician, Bareilles did not make it to the top of the charts easily. It wasn't until 2005, after she graduated college and recorded a self-produced demo, that the recording group Epic Records took her under their wing (All Music: Sara Bareilles). Two years after signing her recording contract, Bareilles released her first single, "Love Song," which went on to reach number one in multiple countries, going three-times platinum by selling over four-million copies. Bareilles has since released a sophomore album, which debuted at number-one. She's gained much recognition from renown people including the Obama family; she performed for them multiple times including at the 2009 G20 Summit, a meeting where the twenty best economies in the world discuss economic and financial issues (Billboard.com: Sara, Smile).Thousands of people now recognize Bareilles for her musical accomplishments including her bubbly pop songs and remarkably successful, number-one records. The artist's love for music prompted her to persevere to pursue her passion and, upon reaching her success, began to work to help those less fortunate than her through charity work, donations, and fundraisers. Bareilles' perseverance and drive to emotionally support and encourage people to be different, along with her physical and financial support of the disadvantaged deems her a hero.

Sara Bareilles's evident perseverance to become part of the music industry is one of the most important traits she possesses. Without her determination, Bareilles would never have been able to touch people's lives the way she did through her music and other forms of support. From the age of seven until after graduating college, Bareilles wanted to pursue a career in music and finally earned herself a chance in April 2005. However, after signing her recording contract with Epic Records, Bareilles struggled to get along with her label directors. It was this struggle that ended up producing her hit, chart-topping, number-one single: "California singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles came seemingly out of nowhere in 2007 with 'Love Song,' which was not a love song at all but a retort to the recording executives who were trying to control the young artist's creative decisions" (All Music: Sara Bareilles Biography). Bareilles audaciously wrote the song in response to the criticism she had received from executives at Epic Records. Ironically, it ended up being the one song her label enjoyed and agreed to release as her first single. After its 2007 release, radio stations and TV channels, including VH1, began to play and promote the song until it dominated the radio airplay in 2008 reaching number-one on three different Billboard charts. Although her first single was hugely successful and her album debuted at number-one, Bareilles struggled writing her second record due to the intimidating pressure and her severe writer's block. "'I was worrying [to a friend] about how I was never going to be able to write another song, and I was starting a lot of songs but I couldn't finish any of them,' she says. 'I was really worried about stepping into the unknown and I didn't know what to expect the second time around ... that afternoon [after meeting with her friend], I sat down and wrote 'Uncharted.' The title of the album [Kaleidoscope Heart], in fact, comes from a lyric in that song'" (Billboard: Sara, Smile). The singer-songwriter's desire to create something more impressive than her previous works caused her to crack under the pressure but her ability to keep moving forward, let go for a while, and to seek help from her companions eventually helped to cure her writer's block and create a sophomore record. Her stress proved to be worthwhile when her record debuted at number one, her headlining tour sold out, and she received her third GRAMMY nomination. Her passion and drive benefit more than her music career; it also pushes her to do things that convenience others around the world.

Along with saving lives through her music and lyrics, Sara Bareilles also makes a great effort to give back to her community and her fans around the world. After the devastating tsunami and earthquake that tore Japan apart in early March 2011, the songstress helped out and raised awareness in various ways including traveling to some of the most hard-hit cities in Japan to help clean up the severely damaged coastline. Throughout the experience, Bareilles and cinematographer, Mark Fiore, filmed a short but moving documentary: A Trace of the Sun is the "...documentary film that captures Sara's relief efforts after the tragic tsunami in Japan. Sara and her band joined with All Hands, a volunteer organization that worked to support communities that had been affected by the disaster" (All Hands Website: Screening of Sara Bareilles' Documentary). Bareilles isolated herself from the usual comforts of her home, joined her bandmates, and jumped in alongside numerous other volunteers of All Hands. She also recorded an exclusive track for a compilation called "Songs of Love for Japan," used to raise money for Shelterbox, a disaster relief charity similar to All Hands. The artist gives to more than just the internationally recognized tragedies but also to those affected by other less recognized catastrophes like the Indiana State Fair stage collapse, which was extremely emotional and close to her: "She [Bareilles] had just finished her opening performance and exited the stage when it fell through, killing seven people and injuring more. 'It snaps me back into reality [and], what really matters in life. I'm so blessed, and I remember that every day is a gift,' she said. She donated funds from her album to the families of the fans who lost their lives in Indiana" (Gale Database: Sara Beth Bareilles). Bareilles's drive to assist her fans and people around the world proves how altruistic and sacrificial she is. Sara Bareilles is always willing to lend a helping hand and does whatever she can to give to her community. She is genuinely willing to work to "keep herself grounded" and will go great lengths to give to those less fortunate than her.

Ms. Bareilles strongly values being non-judgmental toward others' feelings and beliefs and takes initiative in supporting the movements, ideas, and organizations in an effort to change the way some people think or to make a small difference in someone's life. The encouraging songbird is a loyal benefactor to multiple organizations that support music education including the GRAMMY Foundation and VH1's Save The Music Foundation. More recently, Bareilles has connected with Playing For Change, a group with "a mission to ensure that anyone with the desire to receive a music education" has that opportunity: "Singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles is joining forces with musicians all over the world in support of Playing For Change Day. ... 'I first learned about Playing For Change from Mark Johnson, the organization's cofounder and my dear friend, when it was simply a documentary about street musicians. I was moved to tears watching the beauty of connecting strangers through music and knew it was something special, but I couldn't have imagined the unbelievable impact that video would eventually have on the world'" (Playing For Change Website: Sara Bareilles signs on for PFC Day 2012). Bareilles played in a free online concert that raised enough money in donations to build an entire music school in Africa. The amount of support the organization gained through her help proves that her passion and true support of something makes a difference and that she will work to help a cause she believes in. Bareilles has also been tremendously supportive of the LGBT community and has publicly expressed her support by partnering with the NoH8 campaign group. The group released a public service announcement alongside several other well-known politicians, musicians, and celebrities who show their support for same-sex marriage. "With some help from our cast of familiar faces known around the world, NoH8 has created this special video public service announcement reinforcing the Letter to the President in our own words. The "I Do" PSA includes appearances from musicians Mya, Sara Bareilles, and Trina, [and] TV Host Larry King..." (NoH8 Campaign Website: "I Do" PSA). She has also expressed her support through social networking, adding a NoH8 icon in the corner of her Twitter icon and, also through the social network, her fans have shared that her music helped them come out and share their stories. Her support for the LGBT community has indubitably helped others feel more comfortable with themselves and is helping to change the law today. Sara Bareilles's endless support for the things that she believes in have made a global impact and touched many lives.

The musical artist has inspired so many simply by doing what she is passionate about - creating beautiful sounds and personal, stunning lyrics - and working her way through all the rough and bumpy patches along the road to success. Bareilles, despite her evident success, stays firmly planted, grounded, and uses her success to benefit others rather than herself. Through her music and actions, Bareilles touches the lives of others personally and inspires thousands to be whoever and whatever they aspire to be and to be humble while doing so. Sara Bareilles completely transformed my life, interests, and hobbies by exposing me to real, meaningful music. She proved to me how important it is to pay attention to lyrics and the true meaning that they should hold. She introduced me to the beauty that comes with simple but captivating melodies and harmonies and the exquisiteness that is music. This knowledge that I gained pulled me through the darkest time in my life so far and indubitably saved my life. Bareilles inspires and encourages hundreds to speak out about their sexual orientations and to become the backbone or support system for organizations, movements, and beliefs that they have. She's inspired masses of people to become comfortable with all of their different facets and broken pieces. As she once stated, "we're in pieces on the inside but somehow, when you see past that and see through that, everybody is beautiful and everyone is bright shining lights on this world." Before the bridge of her song, "Uncharted," Bareilles wrote: "I won't go as a passenger, waiting for the road to be laid...though I may be going down, I'm taking flame over burning out." Heroes should be the people who, like Bareilles wrote, start the fire and light the path for others. A hero must not "compare where they are to where they want to be" but rather, take charge and take initiative to change where they are; heroes must be brave and unashamed of what they believe in and stand for and, by doing so, create a flame for others to see and follow to greater heights and opportunities.

Beili, Stephen. "3 Time Grammy Nominee Sara Bareilles Signs on for PFC Day 2012." 

Playing for Change Foundation. Playing For Change Foundation, June 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2013.

Billboard. "Sara, Smile." Biography in Context. Gale, 4 Sept. 2010. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.

Gale. "Sara Beth Bareilles." Biography in Context. Gale, 1 Dec. 2008. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.

Hands.org. "Screening of Sara Bareilles' "A Trace of the Sun: Volunteering in Japan" Documentary | All Hands Volunteers."

NoH8 Campaign Website. "'I Do' PSA Urges Obama to Support the Freedom to Marry." NOH8 Campaign. NOH8, 2 Aug. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.

Lymangrover, Jason. "Sara Bareilles on AllMusic." AllMusic. AllMusic, 2010. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.