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Early Life: 2002-06: Career Beginnings and Careful Confessions
Early Life: 2002-06: Career Beginnings and Careful Confessions
Early Life: 2002-06: Career Beginnings and Careful Confessions
Early life[edit]
Bareilles was born and raised in Eureka, California, one of three daughters of Bonnie Halvorsen
(ne Capellas), a funeral home worker, and Paul Bareilles, an insurance adjuster.[5][6]She has a
half-sister named Melody.[7] She is of Italian, German, Portuguese, and French descent; she
speaks Italian and lived in Italy for a year.[8] Bareilles was raised Catholic[9]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.[10]
After graduating from high school in 1998, Bareilles attended the Communication Studies
program at the University of California, Los Angeles,[1] where she was a member of the co-ed a
cappella group Awaken a Cappella,[11] and can be heard on their Dysfunktional Family album
singing "Gravity" and "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5.[12] The group's rendition of Bareilles'
"Gravity" was featured on the Best of College a Cappella 2004 compilation CD. Bareilles and the
band Maroon 5 have been acquainted since their younger days in California when the band was
known as Kara's Flowers.[13] She performed in the annual student concert UCLA Spring Sing,
winning twice. Bareilles taught herself to play the piano and subsequently all other instruments
she is seen playing.[citation needed]
Career[edit]
200206: Career beginnings and Careful Confessions[edit]
After graduating from UCLA in 2002, Bareilles performed at local bars and clubs (such as
the Hotel Caf 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".[10]
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions. She signed a
contract with Epic Records on April 15, 2005.[14] The remainder of the year and early 2006 she
spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album. [1]
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.[15] She
toured as the opening act in 2006 for Marc Broussard's "Carencro" tour. Bareilles' song "Gravity"
appeared briefly in the 2006 independent film Loving Annabelle. 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 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.[19]
As of October 2013, Bareilles is working on writing music for Waitress, a musical adaptation
of the 2007 film of the same name.[37] She is also going to be writing a book which is expected to
be released in 2014 by Simon & Schuster.[38]
On January 26, 2014, Bareilles performed a duet with Carole King at the 56th Annual Grammy
Awards. The pair performed renditions of King's "Beautiful" and Bareilles' "Brave". [39]
On April 28, 2014, Bareilles performed with Elton John at The Breast Cancer Research
Foundation Annual Hot Pink Party Fundraiser.[40][41] In May, Bareilles recorded a cover of Jackie
Wilson's song "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" for the Oprah Winfrey Network.
[42]
Bareilles toured 24 cities of United States from July 10, 2014 to August 14, 2014 in her The Little
Black Dress Summer Tour. The tour was in support of her album The Blessed Unrest which
featured opening acts by American singer Emily King, indie pop band Lucius, and Canadian
singer Hannah Georgas.
Bareilles sang "Smile" during the "In Memoriam" segment of the 66th Primetime Emmy
Awards show on August 25, 2014.[43]
Band members
Bareilles and her former band during her Kaleidoscope Heart Tour at the Warfield on December 16, 2010. Left to
right: Javier Dunn, Bareilles, Philip Krohnengold, Josh Day, Daniel Rhine
Bareilles' first band consisted of members: Javier Dunn (guitar and vocals), [47] Daniel Rhine (bass)
and Josh Day (drums, percussion and backing vocals).[48] Other musicians who have toured with
her as part of her band include Eric Robinson (guitar and keys), [49] Holly Conlan (backing vocals),
Steve Goold (drums, percussion) and Philip Krohnengold (guitar and keyboards). [50]
In 2013, Bareilles parted amicably with her longtime band mates to "move in a new direction".
[51]
She subsequently embarked on a short solo tour, before forming a new band in anticipation of
her fall co-headlining tour with OneRepublic.[52] The new band consists of Rich Hinman (guitar),
Steve Goold (drums, percussion), Chris Morrissey (bass), Cara Fox and Claire Indie (cello) and
Misty Boyce (keyboards).[53]
In December 2008, a single with Ingrid Michaelson titled "Winter Song" was released off the
compilation The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs. Bareilles and Michaelson performed it onThe
Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and an animated video was released. In December 2011, "Winter
Song" reached number 2 on the Irish Singles Chart.[54] She also recorded a song "Come Home," a
duet with OneRepublic, 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 Weezer 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.[55] In late 2010 as pop rock band Maroon 5 was touring in
promotion for their Hands All Overalbum, Bareilles contributed to the female vocals (originally
belonging to Lady Antebellum) for the song "Out of Goodbyes". She appeared with the band
Sugarland for a cover of Dexys (Midnight Runners) Come on Eileen in a YouTube exclusive. [56] In
December, Bareilles and fellow singer Ingrid Michaelson performed "Winter Song" for the
Obamas and many spectators at the National Christmas Tree Lighting.[57]
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.
Bareilles is featured on the first single from Jon McLaughlin's fourth studio effort Promising
Promises, "Summer Is Over". The track was released in January 2012.
Bareilles is featured on Seth MacFarlane's Christmas album Holiday for Swing, released on
September 30, 2014.[58] She joins MacFarlane on the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside". The album,
which also has collaborations withNorah Jones, Frank Sinatra's bassist Chuck Berghoffer as well
as a 65-piece orchestra, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.[59]