Sara Bareilles finds freedom in new projects

Some people like to use the phrase "burning the candle at both ends" to describe someone who seems to be busy every waking moment of their day.

Singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles is one person that cliché can be appropriately tied to after looking at her schedule. No longer is she the singer and songwriter that tours with a good amount of frequency, but now she's also a budding TV star, occupying one of the judge's chair on NBC's voice-only singing contest "The Sing-Off."

Bareilles, who visited Summerfest this summer as an opening act for Sugarland, is once again visiting the Midwest, this time as the headliner for a show in Chicago at the Riviera Theatre Oct. 11.

In 2007 Bareilles sent a shock through American radio with her mega hit "Love Song," propelling her ironically titled major label debut "Little Voice" to platinum sales status.

Warm, likeable, relatable, snarky, open, clever and realistic are all words that can be said about Bareilles accurately. When asked as to what she can do differently as a headliner that she can't do as an opener, the lifelong California girl quickly shows off her wry sense of humor before jumping into a more serious explanation.

"I can use more swear words. That is one of the things that I can do," she jokes. "We sort of stretch, as musicians, we play a longer set, we play songs that are a little bit more obscure songs that feel a little bit more artistic. When you are opening for someone else, you kind of want to be short and sweet and leave them wanting more, hopefully. You kind of just play all of the songs that pack a punch and get off the stage. You're sort of borrowing time, you're borrowing someone else's audience, so when it's a headlining show I get to kind of just let it be all about me which is so fun."

"So fun," which she says in a completely elongated and joking tone when discussing herself as the focus of everyone's attention changes to an attitude of pure enjoyment when it comes to her role as a judge on "The Sing-Off."

Bareilles has a great handle on what it takes to be a successful a cappella group due to her experiences as a member of one while she attended UCLA. The enjoyment can be literally seen on her face when watching the show and where she was a little more dry and sarcastic when asked about herself, her personality began to warm up as she explained what was so engaging and enjoyable about watching the groups that perform on the NBC show.

"For me, it's watching total vulnerability from your performers. There's nothing to hide behind," she says. "These artists on stage are literally creating every sound, every mood, they're doing it all. You're watching people be very exposed and I think that's, for me, that's the most interesting kind of way to see somebody perform is to see them not hiding behind anything. And I know, from my experience, that it's incredibly difficult to sing a cappella music. It's really hard and complicated, and there's a lot of subtlety to it that people don't necessarily understand. I think it's an amazing show."

Her role as a judge on the show is something that she gives a great amount of reverence to, striving to not get caught up in a game of favorites so that she can be as fair and unbiased as possible. When asked about which group she feels has the advantage to this point in the season, so maintained the status quo.

"I can't say that, I'm a judge. There's groups that sort of stand out and just for one reason or another, either technical ability or just a lot of spunk and flare, but I don't have the one group that I'm really pulling for. I mean, it's so early in the season as well."

One of this season's firsts – a rap-appella group called Urban Method – Bareilles does admit is something very special to watch and hear, which is something the other judges have commented on as well.

"It's something that is definitely taking center stage in a totally new way, which is exciting," she says. "Even in all the a cappella competitions and stuff that we did in college, I don't ever really remember seeing anybody rap. So, it's really cool, and Mike is an incredibly talented emcee."

As to whether or not Bareilles herself ever breaks out in a spell of rapping, the answer – unfortunately – is no.

"Oh yeah, all the time. You want me to rap right now? No, I'm not a rapper. I mean I know the rap from "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," but that's about it."

Though she doesn't rap, what she does manage to do is create extremely heartfelt, intelligent-yet-relatable, catchy piano pop. She sings about heartbreak at times, and other times she sings about the strength of the individual which is something that the listener gets on the aforementioned "Love Song" and one of her latest singles, "King of Anything," from her second major label album "Kaleidoscope Heart."

Her music has given many fans a voice, or words to say, that they might not have had the courage to speak previously and that's what helps confirm to her that doing music is her true intended path.

"That's the beauty of music, is that it's versatile and it can be applicable to whatever situation you're going through and that's part of the beauty," she says. "I've always been someone who encourages people to interpret the songs in whatever way they want to because it's not my job to police that. It's my job to write music that means something to me and then set it free and hope it strikes a chord with somebody else. Those kinds of stories are the reason that I continue to do what I do even when I feel exhausted or overwhelmed or whatever, it's still important to be available to be a writer because that's my job here. I think that's why I'm here."

Another one of her songs that can act as therapy to the listener has now been released as a single and has a fun, '50s-themed music video attached to it that was directed by actor Jonah Hill.

"Gonna Get Over You" has a great moment at the end where the glam and dancing ends, and we see Sara as an awkward girl in the same grocery store that is the backdrop for the video, singing off key and moving as uncoordinated as Elaine Benes in Seinfeld.

But which Sara is the real Sara? Is she the beauty queen or the nerd?

"I would say 90 percent of me is still that awkward, strange weirdo that gets kicked out of the grocery store and 10 percent of me is polished and put together."

Her entry into the music industry as a 20-something-year-old woman instead of a teenaged girl is what she gives credit to in regards to her "awkward girl" persona. She was able to navigate through life a bit longer than many other artists that are considered "pop."

"I got into music young, but I didn't start working in the industry until I was in my 20s and had a lot of experiences before that stuff, where I would still really relate to and identify with that kind of awkward girl, the girl next door kind of thing. I think that it's just close to me and still very much that small-town girl. I got lucky in being in this industry, but I definitely don't look around and feel like I belong here all the time."

Music fans seem to disagree with any thoughts she might have about not belonging where she is, as they've given her good amount of support via sales, but maybe more important to her fans is what's next for the entertainer that hardly takes a moment to herself, and what direction is she going to go in after releasing the very large-sounding "Kaleidoscope Heart."

Well, more music is already in her future plans, but the immediate direction is undetermined.

"I think the key to me having a long career – which is what I hope for, that I'm doing this until I don't want to do it anymore – is that I'm continually inspired and excited by the projects that I choose," she says. "Up next is, we're doing an EP in Nashville Ben Folds is going to produce. And then after that, for my next full-length record, you know I think just take it one day at a time. Part of me is inspired by doing something really small and really, like you were saying, Bruce Springsteen "Nebraska," I think that would be an interesting approach. But, it'll only work if it's authentic so I think I have to sort of wait and see as to what direction I really feel pulled in from my heart. Then I'll just go, write a little and hope it works out."

Also, as she furthers her explanation of why she's doing the EP it becomes more obvious that she needs some sort of freedom in her rigid schedule, and that freedom is going to have to come during scheduled time.

"This project is being very much driven by my gut reaction. My manager had the idea of doing an EP because I've never really done one of those, you know, gone in with the specific purpose and intention of making an EP," she explains. "And, it takes the pressure off of it. It doesn't have to be this big next statement. It can just sort of be a punctuation, and I like the idea of that, it felt very free and very inspired. I love the idea of working with Ben, he's a musical hero of mine and has become a really close friend over the portion of the last couple of years actually. I like the idea that I'm going to be working from another city. I've done all my recordings in Los Angeles, so I think this is a way for me to sort of test the waters in some different ways. And, it feels sort of like the rules are lifted. There's no framework in place already for me with this EP. I get to just kind of play and that is going to be really freeing for me as a writer and as a performer to just, you know, take off the shackles."

The thought of Sara Bareilles approaching music in an unshackled environment is intriguing since her music is already very open and telling of who she is. Maybe there are still parts of her personality or experiences as a globe-trotting star that she hasn't revealed to her fans yet, or have had the time to naturally work themselves into a song yet.

Where ever she goes from her, based on the groundwork that she's already laid, she should be able to enjoy many more years as a voice that stands out among the other voices as long as she wishes to make music and take the stage.

Here is the video for "Gonna Get Over You" that was previously mentioned.