Sara Bareilles: Who She is and Why You Should Buy Her CD Kaleidoscope Heart

Sara Bareilles is a 31 year old singer/songwriter/piano player who was born in Eureka, California. Bareilles has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2010. It's not the first time the talented young woman has been given a Grammy nod. In 2008 she received two nominations; one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and another for Song of the Year for "Love Song".

Sara Bareilles sold more than a million copies of her first album Little Voice and was recognized for her soulful voice and talent at the piano. "Love Song" launched Bareilles into the mainstream music scene. She came a long way from 2002 when she was playing in small clubs and bars. In 2005 Bareilles was signed to a record contract with Epic. At the end of 2008, Bareilles released a live DVD titled Between The Lines: Sara Bareilles Live At The Fillmore. The DVD showed Sara playing in front of a sold out crowd at the historical venue in San Francisco.

Sara Bareilles reminds me of Billy Joel mixed with Sarah McLachlan. In 2010, she put out a new album, Kaleidoscope Heart. The album debuted at #1 on the Top 200 album chart in September. The album consists of 12 songs with the first being the single with the same title as her record. The first song is really just a brief A Cappella and not really necessary in my opinion. The next song is called "Uncharted" and it's what Sara Bareilles does best. It has a typical pop song beat but lyrics with depth. Song three on the album is called, "Gonna Get Over You". It's the story of lost love but it is a song you would crank up in your car and sing aloud.

Sara Bareilles slows the album down with "Hold My Heart" and then shines with the first radio single that was released from Kaleidoscope Heart. "King of Anything" was a top five hit on the radio and is the perfect song for anyone who has ever been in a relationship with a know-it-all. It's easy to hear why the song is so popular.

"Say You're Sorry" tells the tale of wanting an apology that will likely never come. It's another relatable song that gives you a good taste of Sara Bareilles' piano skills. Her songwriting skills are at the forefront in song number seven, "The Light". "Basket Case" follows with Bareilles on acoustic guitar and harmonica while still using her beautiful singing voice in this light melody. Next up is "Let The Rain" which says, "I wish I was pretty, I wish I was brave. If I owned this city, I'd make it behave." I really like this song and the progression it makes from a slow tempo to a faster tempo.

"Machine Gun" is a cute pop sounding song that gives Bareilles a chance to show her vocal range. "Not Alone" is a little more blues/jazz sounding but it fits the album. The second to last song is called "Breathe Again" and though it's slower and sadder, it could be a radio hit. The first line is, "Car is parked, bags are packed, but what kind of heart doesn't look back?" The last song on Kaleidoscope Heart is "Bluebird" which completes what is basically an album about a breakup or breakups.

At the end of her tour for Kaleidoscope Heart, Bareilles blogged, "The tour was magnificent. I am grateful for that.
We were out for about 6 weeks in 35 cities, with 11 people on a bus, and it was truly lovely. I'm not saying that it was perfect, but it was this giant, breathing, beautiful, living thing that came into my life, took it over, and left me breathless. I am still reeling to a certain extent, and I think I'll just let myself embrace the melancholy a little bit." If you listen to her music, it may leave you a little breathless as well.

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Source: Author's opinion, sarabmusic.com, epicrecords.com