Strong vocals, upbeat piano, lyrics about love and crafty pop tunes are all things found in many artists who achieve success in the music industry.
Sara Bareilles will bring all of these elements to Newport Music Hall when she performs tonight at 7 p.m.
The show will be part of a current tour to promote her single “Uncharted,” the second from her album “Kaleidoscope Heart,” released in September 2010.
“She’s been a big name and we’re happy to have her,” said Marissa Luther, marketing manager at PromoWest Productions, which owns Newport Music Hall. “It’s going to be a good show.”
“Kaleidoscope Heart” is Bareilles’ third album, and one that she said did not come easily.
“I’m beyond proud of this collection of songs,” Bareilles said on her website, “in no small part due to the fact it was like pulling teeth to write them.”
Bareilles was unavailable for comment.
She began working on the album in 2009, and collaborated with artists such as Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots and Pharrell.
It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and she began a headlining tour that lasted through December, before accompanying Maroon 5 on a slew of dates in February.
“King of Anything,” the first single off “Kaleidoscope Heart,” peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, and stayed on the chart for 14 weeks.
The song is indicative of Bareilles’ appeal, an upbeat, well-crafted pop tune filled with witty lyrics about love and relationships.
“I like Sara Bareilles just because her music isn’t a lot like other artists that I’ve heard,” said Tori Norris, a third-year in human resources. “I feel a connection with her lyrics and I’m just intrigued by the sound.”
Bareilles is originally from Eureka, Calif., and sang in an a cappella group while attending UCLA.
After graduating college, she performed regularly in bars and clubs building an audience, before releasing her first studio album “Careful Confessions,” in 2004.
That album helped get Bareilles signed to Epic Records, and she would spend much of the next 2 years touring and opening for acts such as Maroon 5 and James Blunt.
In 2007, she released her major-label debut “Little Voice,” which found immediate success on the shoulders of its first single “Love Song.”
“Little Voice” has gone platinum, selling more than 1 million copies, and Bareilles spent much of the three years following its release touring to promote it, after which she was completely burnt out, she said on her website.
While many might describe Bareilles’ music as pop, it ranges from upbeat, guitar-driven anthems to slower ballads with an emphasis on piano and vocals.
“I love the piano,” said Jill Mohr, a fourth-year in nursing. “I think that she’s a great artist and it’s really exciting that she’s coming to a place like the Newport.”
Bareilles will continue her headlining tour through May, aside from a handful of dates supporting Maroon 5, before going on to support Sugarland throughout the summer.
