Brave by Sara Bareilles

Album: The Blessed Unrest (2013)

Charted: 48 23

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This is the first single from Sara Bareilles' fourth full-length album, which was recorded in Los Angeles and New York. The record was inspired by her own life and addressed some of the demons she was battling. "I have never felt more open and more raw in my entire life," said Bareilles. "2012 was a year of deconstruction for me personally. I have been confronting some of my greatest fears in the last handful of months and have been amazed at how empowered I can feel when I muster up the courage to turn and growl back at those monsters under the bed."
Bareilles co-wrote the song with Fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff. "I was introduced to Jack through Sara Quin of Tegan & Sara," Bareilles told Billboard magazine. "We met for breakfast one day, and I was just so enamored with him and his personality... The first day we sat down together was the day we wrote 'Brave.'"
Bareilles explained in a video interview that the lyrics were inspired by a close friend who is struggling with coming out. "There are so much honor and integrity and beauty in being able to be who you are," she explained about her motivations.
The song's music video was directed by The Office actress Rashida Jones and filmed in Los Angeles. It was Jones' first project as director but she'd previously starred in the clip for The Foo Fighters' "Long Road to Ruin." As the younger daughter of Quincy Jones, it is of no surprise to learn that she sung on The Artists For Haiti charity single, "We Are The World: 25 For Haiti," which her father co-produced. Jones also supplied back up vocals on Maroon 5's 2003 tracks "Secret," "Tangled" and "Not Coming Home."
Some fans caused a stir when Katy Perry released "Roar" in August 2013, claiming its melody was stolen from this song. Bareilles told Billboard magazine that she and Perry spoke when the comparisons were made. "I don't feel like anything was taken from me artistically. I wasn't the one having any problems with it," she said. "I've known Katy a long time. We are friends and she and I spoke about it. I look at it as two female artists who are releasing a message of empowerment."
At the Grammy Awards in 2014, Bareilles performed this song with Carole King; the pair also did some of King's 1971 song "Beautiful." "Brave" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance, but lost to "Royals" by Lorde.
The song was used to soundtrack a Microsoft Surface tablet advertising campaign during the winter of 2013-2014.

Comments: 5

Say What You Wanna Say from And Let The Words Fall OutI REALLY Like This Song And It Was Sung By Someone Else Called (IDR The Name) 'Lovey James'(?).
Jamal from San Franciscothis song is a first person account and was actually video taped when first presented to executives at Sony, Sara sings like a belle of the ball, way to go girl
Hi from At SomewhereIs the song brave a 1st or 3rd hand account
Hadassah from United StatesI'm sorry for your loss. I was the exact same way when I lost one of my friends October 2016...except with several months of crying and then it was the song "I won't let go" by rascal flats that helped me...well not really, but I heard it and it was the beginning of my healing. Then one of my friends at church prayed for me and with a lot of encouragement, I am almost back to the way I was before her death. I just want to let you know that you are not alone. God is with us through every breath you take, the easy times and definitely in the hard times. You may not feel him with you all of the time, but know that he is. Just because you can't see or feel something doesn't mean that it isn't there: sometimes it is just waiting for us to find it completely before you can feel it with you all of the time. That's the case with God. You may not see him--you may not feel him, but he is there holding you every second. This poem has really helped me and if you need it, it will linger with you forever: "Footsteps in the Sand"

"One night I had a dream.

I dreamed I was walking along the beach
with the Lord..

Across the sky flashed scenes from my life..
For each scene, I noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me, and the other to the Lord..
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me
and I questioned the Lord about it:
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why
when I need you most you would leave me."
The Lord replied:
"My precious child, I love you and would
never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints, it was then
that I carried you."
Lou from Omaha, NeThe song might be for being brave in coming out, but it has a different meaning for me. The coming out, for me, was the shell of sadness. In one of the darkest moments of sheer sadness over the loss of my most beloved pet, two days after her death, 23 hours of crying, I hear this song and know like a gun it was pointed at my head. It was Minny's way of telling me she's ok, she's in a happy place and looking at me being so sad is hurting her as well. She wants me to be brave so that one day her and I will meet at the Rainbow bridge and walk across together. This song went from something I had never heard before to one of my favorites of all time. And every day, with the help of this song and the love in my heart, I continue to be brave until the day I'm holding my Puppy Face for eternity.

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