Sara Bareilles: Truth, Vulnerability, and the Magic of Music | Episode 13

What if the most powerful art comes not from performance, but from radical truth-telling and allowing yourself to be a vessel for something greater?In this soul-stirring episode, host Aaron Lazar sits down with the extraordinary Sara Bareilles—Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, Tony and Emmy-nominated actress, and creator of the beloved musical Waitress. Sara joins from a place of deep reflection, having recently delivered the commencement speech at her alma mater UCLA, where she spoke about embracing the "both/and" nature of life—the glorious and the awful, the joy and the fear, all existing simultaneously.This conversation is both intimately personal and universally resonant. Sara opens up about her lifelong allergy to anything inauthentic, her belief that music is her church and that she's simply a vessel translating divine particles into song. She shares her journey with anxiety, the transformative power of meditation and therapy, and why she's no longer interested in brand-building—only in genuine connection and being of service.Sara's impossible dream shines brightest when she talks about surrendering to life's flow, recognizing that resistance only amplifies suffering, and trusting that even our most painful experiences carry profound lessons. This episode is for anyone navigating anxiety, loss, creative blocks, or the fundamental human challenge of showing up authentically in a world that constantly asks us to perform.Guest Bio:Sara Bareilles is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, Tony and Emmy-nominated actress, and New York Times bestselling author. Best known for her chart-topping hits including "Love Song," "Brave," and "Gravity," Sara has sold millions of albums worldwide and earned critical acclaim for her honest, emotionally resonant songwriting. She made her Broadway debut in 2016 when she composed the music and lyrics for Waitress, which became a cultural phenomenon and earned her a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. She later stepped into the lead role, showcasing her remarkable acting talents. Sara has also starred in Broadway's Into the Woods, earned an Emmy nomination for her performance as Mary Magdalene in NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, and published the bestselling memoir Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song. A graduate of UCLA, Sara recently returned to deliver the 2024 commencement address. She continues to create music that serves as medicine for millions, believing deeply that art is about connection, truth-telling, and being of service.Learn more about Sara Bareilles:Official Website: https://www.sarabareilles.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarabareillesWaitress the Musical: https://waitressthemusical.comLIVE YOUR IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS✨ Subscribe, listen, and believe.Presented by the ALS NetworkProduced by EVRYBDY StudiosLearn more at aaronlazar.comInstagram: @impossibledreamspodcastYouTube: @ALImpossibleDreamsApple: Impossible Dreams PodcastSpotify: Impossible Dreams PodcastMerch: impossibledreamshop.myshopify.comEpisode Navigation:00:00 - ALS Network champion message and the importance of their mission supportingpatients and families00:47 - Sara Bareilles welcomes us to a conversation about truth, connection, and what reallymatters01:32 - Meeting through Project ALS: The power of purpose-driven work and singing together03:02 - Beyond brand-building: Why Sara cares only about connection in this insane, amazingtime to be alive05:12 - UCLA commencement speech: Life as "both/and"—glorious and awful, grateful andscared, all at once06:51 - Truth as a divining rod: Sara's lifelong allergy to anything inauthentic and performingpersonality09:22 - Music as church: Why Sara believes she's simply a vessel translating divine particles intosong11:49 - The mystical nature of music as medicine and its power to heal both performer andaudience15:42 - Gavin Creel's wisdom: His tattoo of "both," and how life holds all contradictionssimultaneously20:38 - Navigating anxiety: The frequency of fear and learning to meet the energy beforeunpacking it27:05 - Therapy, medication, and breaking stigma: Why Sara is grateful for her "little white pill"38:23 - The Lexapro jingle: Humor, honesty, and why SSRIs shouldn't get such a bad rap40:27 - Collaboration with life: Being present, not in resistance, and trusting the journey42:22 - Being of service: Why Sara wants to offer up what she can do and make music thatcomforts43:40 - The Surrender Experiment: Trusting that life knows what it's doing without humaninterference45:01 - Soul-to-soul connection: Gratitude for music that touches the deepest parts of being