Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles ’03 was getting ready to perform at a NASCAR event in Las Vegas when she got a call from her manager that sent her running around in her hotel room.
The nominations for the 56th annual Grammy Awards had just been released, and the upbeat, peppy Bareilles had scored a nod in two categories. She was up for album of the year for her latest album, The Blessed Unrest, and for best pop solo performance for her empowering hit single “Brave.”
Although “Brave” had been on Billboard’s Hot 100 for more than 30 weeks, the Grammy nominations still came as a big surprise to Bareilles.
On the big night, she didn’t bring home any awards, but her star was definitely shining. She performed there for the first time, with Carole King, a four-time Grammy winner and 2014’s MusiCares Person of the Year. Bareilles tweeted throughout the event and posted Instagram photos.
Since Bareilles graduated from UCLA, she has released three major-label albums, toured with fellow Bruins in Maroon 5, and even joined the NBC a cappella competition The Sing-Off, as a celebrity judge for its third season.
“I just started playing shows, and it makes sense to keep doing it until something else comes along that makes me feel differently,” Bareilles says. “Whether or not I am a performer forever doesn’t change the fact that music will always be in my life.”
The first time she performed solo in front of a large audience was at UCLA’s 2002 Spring Sing. She won best solo two years in a row as an undergrad.
“Honestly, I thank UCLA for providing me with such a strong support system of fans and fellow musicians,” she says.
What’s in the stars for Sara Bareilles in 2014? Apparently, more writing. According to Broadway.com, Bareilles has joined the New York theater scene as she works on the music and lyrics for the musical adaptation of the 2007 indie film Waitress. And if that weren’t enough, this year she will also release a collection of essays in which she discloses all about her behind-the-scenes life as a pop star performer. The book will contain excerpts from her personal journal and a plethora of photos she has chosen to share with her fans. Keep your eye on Sara! We can say, “We knew her when …”
