♪ BAREILLES: I wanna see you be brave.

♪♪ If I'm not being creative and I'm not making music, I'm not in alignment with what I'm supposed to be here doing.

FOLDS: And then she goes, "Okay, we're gonna do a take."

It's like, "No, no, you got the take."

KING: She just got a lot of balls, what can I say?

BAREILLES: I knew nothing about any of it.

"Waitress" changed my life in every possible way.

GOLDSBERRY: What she turns pain into is the light in the tunnel for everybody else.

♪ BAREILLES: I wanna see you.

♪♪ (theme music playing) ♪ ♪ (audience cheering and applause) ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: How can we move through our life and learn to look back at ourselves with loving affection?

How can we let that child that lives inside of us, be right?

It's so easy to turn on yourself and make yourself wrong and not good enough.

What if we're already intact?

Like, is that possible too?

♪ Come by the fire, ♪ ♪ lay down your head.

♪ ♪ My love I see you're growing tired, ♪ ♪ so set the bad day by the bed ♪ ♪ and rest a while.

♪ ♪ Your eyes can close.

♪ ♪ You don't have to do a thing, ♪ ♪ but listen to me sing, ♪ ♪ I know you miss the world, ♪ ♪ the one you knew.

♪ ♪ The one where everything made sense, ♪ ♪ because you didn't know the truth, ♪ ♪ that's how it works.

♪ ♪ 'Til the bottom drops out, ♪ ♪ and you learn, ♪ ♪ we're all just hunters seeking solid ground.

♪ ♪ Don't stop trying to find me here ♪ ♪ amidst the chaos.

♪ ♪ Though I know it's blinding, ♪ ♪ there's a way out.

♪ ♪ Say out loud, ♪ ♪ we will not give up on love now.

♪ ♪ No fear, ♪ ♪ don't you turn like Orpheus.

♪ ♪ Just stay here, ♪ ♪ and hold me in the dark ♪ ♪ and when the day appears, ♪ ♪ we'll say, ♪ ♪ we did not give up on love, ♪ ♪ today.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'll show you good, ♪ ♪ restore your faith.

♪ ♪ I'll try and somehow make a meaning of ♪ ♪ the poison in this place.

♪ ♪ Convince you love, ♪ ♪ don't breathe it in, ♪ ♪ you were written in the stars that ♪ ♪ we are swimming in.

♪ ♪ It has no name, ♪ ♪ no guarantee.

♪ ♪ It's just the promise of a day, ♪ ♪ I know that some may never see.

♪ ♪ But that's enough.

♪ ♪ If the bottom drops out, ♪ ♪ I hope my love, ♪ ♪ was someone else's solid ground.

♪ ♪ Don't stop, ♪ ♪ trying to find me here ♪ ♪ amidst the chaos.

♪ ♪ Though I know it's blinding, ♪ ♪ there's a way out.

♪ ♪ Say out loud.

♪ ♪ We will not give up on love now.

♪ ♪ No fear, ♪ ♪ don't you turn like Orpheus.

♪ ♪ Just stay here, ♪ ♪ hold me in the dark ♪ ♪ and when the day appears, ♪ ♪ we'll say, ♪ ♪ we did not give up on love ♪ ♪ today.

♪ ♪ We'll say, ♪ ♪ we did not give up on love ♪ ♪ today.

♪ ♪ ♪ (audience cheering and applause) Thank you so much.

Put your hands together for the National Symphony Orchestra.

(audience cheering and applause) Thank you all so much.

I am so honored to be in this incredibly sacred place and to be making music with these extraordinary musicians led by the extraordinary maestro Steven Reineke.

(audience cheering and applause) This is a literal dream come true.

I've been dreaming about this my whole life.

And um, we're doing some old songs, we're doing some new songs.

I'm wearing a pink sparkly suit, which is very important.

(audience cheering and applause) It's going to be the thing you remember the most.

(laughter) Um, so if you were on your bucket list, if you're like, I wanna sing with the NSO, this next song is just up your alley.

Okay?

♪ ♪ (audience cheering) ♪ Head underwater, ♪ ♪ and they tell me to ♪ ♪ breathe easy for a while.

♪ ♪ The breathing gets harder, ♪ ♪ even I know that.

♪ ♪ Made room for me, ♪ ♪ but it's too soon to see, ♪ ♪ if I'm happy in your hands.

♪ ♪ I'm unusually hard to hold on to.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Blank stares at blank pages.

♪ ♪ No easy way to say this.

♪ ♪ You mean well, ♪ ♪ but you make this hard on me.

♪ ♪ I'm not gonna write you... ♪ ♪ AUDIENCE: A love song, 'cause you asked for it, ♪ ♪ 'cause you need one, you see, ♪ ♪ I'm not gonna write you a love song, ♪ ♪ 'cause you tell me it's make or break in this if your... ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: On your way, ♪ ♪ I'm not gonna write you to stay, hey.

♪ ♪ If all you have is leaving, ♪ ♪ I'mma need a better reason, ♪ ♪ to write you a love song today.

♪ ♪ Yeah-hey.

♪ (audience cheering and applause) ♪ I learned the hard way, ♪ ♪ that they all say ♪ ♪ things you wanna hear.

♪ ♪ And my heavy heart sinks ♪ ♪ deep down under you, ♪ ♪ and your twisted words, ♪ ♪ your help just hurts.

♪ ♪ You are not what I thought you were, ♪ ♪ hello to high and dry.

♪ ♪ Convinced me to please you.

♪ ♪ Made me think that I need this too, ♪ ♪ I'm trying to let you hear me as I am.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ I'm not gonna write you a love song, ♪ ♪ 'cause you asked for it, ♪ ♪ 'cause you need one, you see.

♪ ♪ I'm not gonna write you a love song, ♪ ♪ 'cause you tell me it's make or break in this, ♪ ♪ if you're on your way.

♪ ♪ I'm not gonna write you to stay, hey.

♪ ♪ If all you have is leaving, ♪ ♪ I'mma need a better reason, ♪ ♪ to write you a love song today.

♪ ♪ Promise me, ♪ ♪ that you'll leave the light on, ♪ ♪ to help me see with ♪ ♪ the daylight my guide gone.

♪ ♪ 'Cause I believe there's a way ♪ ♪ you can love me, ♪ ♪ because I say, ♪ ♪ I won't write you a love song, ♪ ♪ 'cause you asked for it, ♪ ♪ 'cause you need one, ♪ ♪ you see.

♪ ♪ I'm not gonna write you a love song, ♪ ♪ 'cause you tell me it's make or break in this, ♪ ♪ no, is that why you wanted a love song?

♪ ♪ 'Cause you asked for it, ♪ ♪ 'cause you need one, ♪ ♪ you see, ♪ ♪ I won't write you a love song, ♪ ♪ 'cause you tell me it's make or break in this, ♪ ♪ if you're on your way.

♪ ♪ I won't write you to stay.

♪ ♪ If your heart is nowhere in it, ♪ ♪ I don't want it for a minute, Babe, ♪ ♪ I'll walk the seven seas, ♪ ♪ when I believe that there's a reason, ♪ ♪ to write you a love song ♪ ♪ today.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, yeah.

♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) You sound beautiful.

(audience cheering and applause) I want to invite two very dear friends, and two of my very favorite people.

Please welcome to the stage David Ryan Harris and Emily King.

(audience cheering and applause) Um, I have been fans of these two for, since I was 22, 3 years ago.

(audience laughter) But I have studied their music, I have looked up to them, and I am so grateful that you're here and sharing the night with us.

So thank you guys.

(humming) (humming) (humming) (humming) ♪ Once upon another time, ♪ ♪ somebody's hands who felt like mine, ♪ ♪ turned the key and took a drive, ♪ ♪ was free.

♪ ♪ Highway curved, ♪ ♪ the sun sank low.

♪ ♪ Buckley on the radio.

♪ ♪ Cigarette was burning slow, ♪ ♪ so breathe.

♪ ♪ Just yellow lines and tire marks.

♪ ♪ And sun-kissed skin and handlebars.

♪ ♪ And where I stood was where I was, ♪ ♪ to be.

♪ ♪ No enemies to call my own.

♪ ♪ No porch light on, ♪ ♪ to pull me home.

♪ ♪ And where I was is beautiful.

♪ ♪ Because I was, ♪ ♪ free.

♪ (humming) ♪ Once upon another time, ♪ ♪ before I knew which life was mine, ♪ ♪ before I left the child behind, ♪ ♪ me.

♪ ♪ I saw myself in summer nights, ♪ ♪ and stars lit up like candlelight.

♪ ♪ I make my wish but mostly I ♪ ♪ believed.

♪ ♪ ALL: In yellow lines and tire marks, ♪ ♪ and sun-kissed skin and handlebars.

♪ ♪ And where I stood was where I was, ♪ ♪ to be.

♪ ♪ Once upon another time, ♪ ♪ deciding nothing good in dying.

♪ ♪ So I'd adjust and keep on driving, ♪ ♪ because I was... ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Free.

♪ (humming) (humming) (humming) (humming) ♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) (audience cheering and applause) Please welcome to the stage Nadia DiGiallonardo.

Nadia and I met, um, the first year I moved to New York City, that's about 11 years ago now.

And we met working on a musical theater project called "Waitress."

(audience cheering and applause) And I fell madly in love with her and now I make her do absolutely everything with me.

(laughter) This next song is, is a song off my first record.

And it was a song sort of written as a prayer to myself to remember as I'm walking the road before me to try to keep an eye on the prize, the prize being love, as the organizing principle.

It has never once steered me wrong, not ever once.

And I am, uh, I come back to songs like this and I love hearing sort of, um, you know, a younger version of myself hoping that I'm gonna be able to hang onto this.

And, uh, I highly recommend it.

It's, uh, it's been really a helpful way to move through the world.

As a child I think you are really among this like, canvas of opportunity, role playing, making up songs, singing to nobody.

I've also done that as an adult, but you know, I, as a child, there was literally no one there.

My first journal entries I think are around like 11 or 12, and it was a lot about my weight as a child 'cause that was something that I was teased about and so I had a lot of body image issues, a lot of thinking about that, talking about that.

I felt this sensation of like standing on a trap door and I couldn't figure out like what was the formula?

Why would they all of a sudden turn and then make me feel terrible?

HARRIS: Somebody asked me the other day when I knew that I, if I, if I knew I was different from other kids and I didn't really have a point of reference, like I didn't know what other kids felt like I, you know, I didn't know that was any different than anyone else.

BAREILLES: Children don't know that there's anything different, wrong, you know, strange, unusual about their existence until someone tells them.

HARRIS: I didn't know that I wanted to be a, you know, a astronaut or any of that, but I was like, wow, there is a world and I have this voice in me that I was given and I could see this blank canvas.

Just knowing that there was a canvas at all was very exciting to me.

I didn't, I don't think at that time I knew what I wanted to paint, but I knew that I could paint something.

BAREILLES: I'm not sad that it happened because it really attuned me to my own sensitivity, I think it also turned me towards writing to find a mode of expression that I could sort of put these confused feelings somewhere.

KING: I think it's a generous act to, um, take that moment where you're feeling like the lowest and be like, I need to transcribe this.

But I do find when I'm listening to her music, it feels like she was in that moment authentically transcribing those feelings.

And I think that's the best kind of music.

BAREILLES: Privately I was writing these songs, but I, I remember sort of sharing them twice and neither one, neither time went very well.

So it informed this sense around wanting to keep all of that very private.

It also really informed my, my inclination towards wanting to create spaces that are welcoming and inclusive and inviting and loving because it really sucks to be on the outside of that.

KING: I got this email, "Do you wanna tour with Sara Bareilles?"

And so, "Yes," was my answer, of course, I'm gonna go on tour, and enter Sara and she's like, "Hey, you wanna do you wanna be friends?"

"Should we like, do you wanna get a coffee?"

"Um, I'm gonna announce you by the way, tonight before your show," which I, uh, like blew my mind, I, I almost wanted say like, no, no, no, you shouldn't do that.

She rewrote the whole like... (crying) She, she... (crying, laughing) why am I crying?

That's so funny... she rewrote the whole script that I was taught about, like how to be a person in the music industry.

BAREILLES: It's been really a helpful way to move through the world.

Um, so this one's called "Many The Miles."

(audience cheering and applause) (piano solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ There's too many things I haven't done yet, ♪ ♪ there's too many sunsets, ♪ ♪ I haven't seen.

♪ ♪ You can't waste the day wishing it'd slow down.

♪ ♪ You would've thought by now, ♪ ♪ I'd have learned something.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ KING: I made up my mind when I was a young girl, ♪ ♪ I've been given this one world, ♪ ♪ I won't worry it away, no, no.

♪ ♪ But now and again I lose sight of the good life, ♪ ♪ I get stuck in a low light... ♪ ♪ BOTH: When love comes in.

♪ ♪ ALL: How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Oh, whoa.

♪ ♪ ALL: How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Woo, send me the miles and I'll be ♪ ♪ happy to follow you, love.

♪ ♪ I'll follow you anywhere, anywhere, anywhere.

♪ ♪ HARRIS: I do what I can wherever I end up, ♪ ♪ to keep giving my good love, love, ♪ ♪ and keep spreading it around.

♪ ♪ ALL: 'Cause I've had my fair share of ♪ ♪ take care and goodbyes.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: I've learned how to cry and ♪ ♪ I'm better for that.

♪ Sing.

♪ ALL: How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Oh, whoa, oh.

♪ ♪ ALL: How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Woo, send me the miles ♪ ♪ and I'll be happy to.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HARRIS: Red letter day and I'm in a blue mood, ♪ ♪ I'm wishing that blue would just carry me away.

♪ ♪ KING: I've been talking about, ♪ ♪ don't know if it's helping or not.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Surely something has got to, ♪ ♪ got to give, ♪ ♪ 'cause I can't keep waiting to live.

♪ ♪ BOTH: How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ ALL: Many the miles.

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Woo, but send me the miles.

♪ ♪ BOTH: How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ All: Many the miles.

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ How far do I have to go to get to you?

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: I have to go.

♪ ♪ ALL: Many the miles.

♪ ♪ Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BOTH: How far do I have to go... ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: I've been talking to God, how far, ♪ ♪ how far do I have to go?

♪ ♪ BOTH: How far do... ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Until I, until I get to you.

♪ ♪ ALL: Many the miles.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Send me the miles.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ And I'll be happy to follow you.

♪ ♪ There's too many things I haven't done yet.

♪ ♪ There's too many sunsets ♪ ♪ I haven't seen.

♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) (audience cheering and applause) I wanted to introduce the next song because the seeds of this song were planted on the mall here in D.C. during the Women's March in 2016.

(audience cheering and applause) Were any of you there marching?

(audience cheering and applause) Hey, I'm so glad we fixed it.

(audience laughter) Thank God, it's done and we're all better.

Help.

(audience laughter) Um, but it is really powerful to sort of revi, revisit, um, the roots of, of where an idea came from and I stood on this beautiful place, um, with hundreds of thousands of people and I've never felt more safe, I've never felt more seen and I was changed and it was sort of the seed and the root of, um, a new engagement in activism for me.

And it was a really beautiful shift.

And so this next song is about the plight of women and people who identify as women and our allies and, uh, the fact that we gotta just keep on marching, we gotta keep on marching.

(audience cheering and applause) (piano solo) ♪ ♪ ♪ Let it begin, ♪ ♪ let Adam in.

♪ ♪ Step one: original sin.

♪ ♪ Underneath the leaves, ♪ ♪ Adam found Eve, ♪ ♪ both of them found something sweet ♪ ♪ under the apple tree.

♪ ♪ Then it was over, ♪ ♪ roads divide.

♪ ♪ Step two: learning how to lie.

♪ ♪ Let me ask a question to present day, ♪ ♪ how the hell did Eve end up with ♪ ♪ all the damn blame?

♪ ♪ All the damn blame.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ To all the dirty looks, ♪ ♪ the kitty cat calls.

♪ ♪ To the ones who try and ♪ ♪ throw us up against the back walls.

♪ ♪ Let me tell you something you'll understand, ♪ ♪ only the little boys tell you they're a big man.

♪ ♪ To all my sisters and all our friends, ♪ ♪ we have to thank them, ♪ ♪ please, ♪ ♪ strength means blessed with an enemy.

♪ ♪ All my, my, my, my armor comes from you.

♪ ♪ You make me try, try, try, try harder, ♪ ♪ oh, it's all I ever do, ever do.

♪ ♪ Oh, no, no, my, my, my, my armor comes from you.

♪ ♪ You make me stronger, ♪ ♪ stronger.

♪ ♪ Now, hand me my armor.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ ♪ ♪ Step three: I see the unforgettable, ♪ ♪ incredible ones who came before me, ♪ ♪ brought poetry, brought science, ♪ ♪ sowed quiet seeds of self-reliance.

♪ ♪ Bloomed in me, so here I am.

♪ ♪ You think I am high and mighty, mister?

♪ ♪ Wait 'til you meet my little sister.

♪ ♪ All my, my, my, my armor comes from you.

♪ ♪ You make me try, try, try, try harder oh, ♪ ♪ it's all I ever do, ever do.

♪ ♪ Oh, no, no, my, my, my, my armor comes from you.

♪ ♪ You make me stronger, ♪ ♪ stronger.

♪ ♪ Now, hand me my armor.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ What you didn't do to bury me, ♪ ♪ but you didn't know I was a goddamn seed.

♪ ♪ You don't scare me, I am of the earth.

♪ ♪ So tired of your empire, ♪ ♪ blind men only set the world on fire.

♪ ♪ Sad you can't see it, you brought the flame, ♪ ♪ here comes the phoenix.

♪ ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ ♪ All my, my, my, my armor comes from you.

♪ ♪ You make me try, try, try, try harder oh, ♪ ♪ it's all I ever do, ever do.

♪ ♪ Oh, no, no, my, my, my, my armor comes from you.

♪ ♪ You make me stronger, ♪ ♪ stronger.

♪ ♪ Hand me my armor.

♪ (vocalizing) (audience cheering and applause) ♪ Hand me my armor.

♪ ♪ Hand me my armor.

♪ ♪ Hand me my armor.

♪ ♪ Hand me my armor.

♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) Hi, how we doing?

Oh good, oh good.

Oh good, good answer guys, good answer.

This is where I do my Top 10.

(audience laughter) So what's the deal with traffic in D.C.?

No, it's not that.

Um, so this has been, um, just a wild undertaking.

Um, the, the seed of, of wanting to even dream up a show where it would feature an orchestra like this, um, it was just like a fantasy and something I've dreamt about my whole, whole life.

And I think back to being an 18-year-old broken-hearted girl writing this next song.

And, um, it just strikes me about how things change in our lives.

You know, we, we think things are so solid and we think things get, are gonna stay stuck as they are, we can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And um, I just think back to the, the person who wrote this next song and how my dreams for my life never looked anything like this.

And, uh, it, it brings me a lot of joy to come back to kind of this bottom of the well broken-hearted girl and sing it from a place of love and joy.

And knowing that things change.

One of the main takeaways was this realization around music kind of not being a hobby and being something that was like a coping mechanism for the ways in which I struggle.

It was like I had to have music to process and to kind of make sense of my world.

GOLDSBERRY: Sara will literally call me on the worst day of her life and send me the song she wrote.

Just in a text on a, this just happened and she's crying and I'm listening to it and crying.

And then she will, like, I wrote this song.

BAREILLES: It's why I'm here, I am, I, I do it because I am called to do it.

And if, and if I don't do it, I'm not okay, like, I'm anxious, I'm dissociating, I'm, I'm, I'm, it's so clear to me it's just not subtle at all, that if I'm not being creative and I'm not making music and I'm not making sense of the world that way, I'm not in alignment with like what I'm probably supposed to be here doing.

GOLDSBERRY: What she does with pain.

What she does with pain, it kind of answers the question, why do bad things happen to good people?

You know what I mean?

What she turns pain into is the light in the tunnel for everybody else.

And I would probably tell her younger self, you're gonna go through some stuff, but what you're gonna do with it is gonna make it worth it, not only for you but for so many people.

So not only will you survive, you will help the rest of us.

BAREILLES: It, it brings me a lot of joy to come back to kind of this bottom of the well, broken-hearted girl and sing it from a place of love and joy and knowing that things change.

So, um, if anyone's feeling broken-hearted for whatever reason, uh, my wish for you is, is some grace and some hope in change.

(audience cheering) (horn solo) (horn solo) (horn solo) Something always brings me back to you.

It never takes too long.

And no matter what I say or do, I'll still feel you here 'till the moment I'm gone.

♪ ♪ You hold me without touch.

You keep me without chains.

I never wanted anything so much, than to drown in your love, and not feel your reign.

Set me free, leave me be.

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.

Here I am, and I stand, so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.

But you're on to me and all over me.

Oh, you loved me 'cause I'm fragile, when I thought that I was strong.

But you touch me for a little while, and all my fragile strength is gone.

Set me free, leave me be.

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.

Here I am, and I stand, so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.

But you're on to me and all over me.

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see, that you're everything I think I need here on the ground.

But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go, the one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down.

(vocalizing) (audience cheering and applause) You're keeping me down.

(vocalizing) You're on to me, you're on to me, and all over me.

Something always brings me back to you.

It never takes too long.

♪ ♪ (audience cheering and applause) Thank you so much.

♪ ♪ (audience applause) ♪ ♪ ♪ Keep drinking coffee, ♪ ♪ stare me down across the table, ♪ ♪ while I look outside.

♪ ♪ So many things I'd say if only I were able, ♪ ♪ but I just keep quiet ♪ ♪ and count the cars that pass by.

♪ ♪ You've got opinions, man, ♪ ♪ we're all entitled to 'em, ♪ ♪ but I never asked.

♪ ♪ So let me thank you for your time, ♪ ♪ and try not to waste any more of mine ♪ ♪ and get out of here fast.

♪ ♪ I hate to break it to you babe, ♪ ♪ but I'm not drowning.

♪ ♪ There's no one here to save.

♪ ♪ Who cares if you disagree?

♪ ♪ You are not me.

♪ ♪ Who made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ So you dare tell me who to be?

♪ ♪ Who died and made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You sound so innocent, ♪ ♪ all full of good intent, ♪ ♪ swear you know best.

♪ ♪ But you expect me to jump up on board with you, ♪ ♪ and ride off into your delusional sunset.

♪ ♪ I'm not the one who's lost with no direction, ♪ ♪ oh, but you'll never see.

♪ ♪ You're so busy making masks with my name on them ♪ ♪ in all caps, ♪ ♪ you got the talking down, ♪ ♪ just not the listening.

♪ ♪ And who cares if you disagree?

♪ ♪ You are not me.

♪ ♪ Who made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ So you dare tell me who to be?

♪ ♪ Who died and made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ All my life I've tried, ♪ ♪ to make everybody happy, ♪ ♪ while I just hurt and hide.

♪ ♪ Waiting for someone to tell me ♪ ♪ it's my turn to decide.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Who cares if you disagree?

♪ ♪ You are not me.

♪ ♪ Who made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ So you dare tell me who to be?

♪ ♪ Who died and made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ Oh, who cares if you disagree?

♪ ♪ You are not me.

♪ ♪ Who made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ So you dare tell me who to be?

♪ ♪ Who died and made you king of anything?

♪ ♪ Oh-oh.

♪ ♪ AUDIENCE: Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh.

♪ (laughing) ♪ ALL: Oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh.

♪ ♪ Oh-oh.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: Let me hold your crown, baby.

♪ ♪♪ (laughter) (audience cheering and applause) That was amazing!

(audience cheering and applause) You surprised me.

The person I wrote that song about, loved it.

(laughter) No idea.

This is what I'm telling you, is there any songwriters out there, I'm telling you just, just do it, just say it.

I started playing more shows.

I gained a little confidence.

Um, I graduated from college, I was working as a waitress and I just started playing these little shows, I played a, a show at Molly Malone's in Los Angeles and the, and then the booker also booked another place called Genghis Cohen, it's like a kosher Chinese restaurant, and I started playing there and then I started playing at Temple Bar and I started playing at Hotel Cafe, and I, you know, I played all over Los Angeles.

HARRIS: I definitely saw her in a bunch of folks, bunch of places, um, you know, Hotel Cafe was like, that was, everybody kind of went through there.

BAREILLES: Anywhere that would have me, I would play.

And I really think that's, that's how you cut your teeth, that's how you understand yourself as an artist.

HARRIS: The thing I love most about Sara is like, she's always really authentic.

The person you see is the person that she is, she's equally empowering and vulnerable.

And when she's feeling like "I am woman hear me roar," that's what you see.

And when she's like, "I don't know if I can go outside today," she's not afraid to show that part of herself as well.

And I think that's, um, that is beautiful.

That's, that's the human spirit and I just love that she embodies all of those things.

BAREILLES: There is nothing more precious than thinking about those times, like in a van and trailer, sleeping in like a hotel where you're like, did someone get murdered in here?

Like, were just, is just awful, like dirty, changing your clothes in the dirtiest bathroom of like a disgusting green room somewhere.

And somehow it's just like magic.

It's like that idea of, first of all, pursuing your dream, like allowing your dream to be important enough to go after it and then to have people who like buckle in with you, are like, I believe in you too.

I believe in us, that is potent.

FOLDS: I recorded one song on the EP, um, for her where it was essentially a mic check time, all it was, she had the lyrics on the, on the stand, she played it through expecting to play it once.

Um, my engineer was getting ready to grab a couple settings to adjust them, but two sentences in, I was like, stop, stop, don't touch it.

I don't want anything to be messed up, he said, "But it's not perfect."

I was like, "I don't, I don't care, this might be it."

She got through the whole thing, absolutely perfect.

Um, and she came in to the, um, control room and her mascara was running, she had cried and then she goes, "Okay, we're gonna do a take."

It's like, "No, no, you got the take."

CUNNINGHAM: I think the impressive thing about Sara is she is like an archer, a really accurate archer, like she always hits the bullseye no matter what she does and I think that's because she's leading with her, her heart.

She never subtracts the heart from it, she always leads with that and that's like, um, it's lethal.

BAREILLES: And I feel for young artists these days because everything is so digital that I just think that there is this kind of built-in separation, it's not that you can't reach a live or you can't reach a big audience, but I don't know, what we do on some level is quite primitive.

You know, we are storytelling face to face and that is ultimately like, that's the, the kinetic energy that's getting exchanged.

That's, that's, that's what people come back to the room for.

Hi everyone.

(audience cheering and applause) (laughing) Um, you'll see my dog, Louie.

This is Louie.

Louie, come, come here bud.

You do you.

Okay, um, Louie will be running around, and um, he's very precious and he might bark, but that's not my problem.

Okay.

Um, and I wanted also introduce my wonderful, um, teammates here.

This is Rob Moose playing violin.

(audience applause) Who also has done, um, a tremendous amount of work with me on this, on this entire show, and did half the orchestrations, if not more.

And this over here is an extraordinary, um, bass player, singer, multi-talented man, this is Alan Hampton.

(audience applause) Visiting us from Los Angeles, California.

This next song is a song that I, I wrote when I was, um, I call it like the bottom of the well moments when you're like, how the f am I gonna get outta here?

And um, sometimes music can come to the rescue.

This one's called "Let the Rain."

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I wish I were pretty.

♪ ♪ I wish I were brave.

♪ ♪ If I owned this city, ♪ ♪ then I'd make it behave.

♪ ♪ And if I were fearless, ♪ ♪ then I'd speak my truth.

♪ ♪ And the world would hear this, ♪ ♪ that's what I wish I'd do, yeah.

♪ ♪ Yeah-ah-yeah.

♪ (vocalizing) ♪ If my hands could hold them, you'd see, ♪ ♪ I'd take all these secrets in me, ♪ ♪ and I'd move and mold them to be, ♪ ♪ something I'd set free.

♪ ♪ I want to darken in the skies, ♪ ♪ open the floodgates up.

♪ ♪ I want to change my mind.

♪ ♪ I want to be enough.

♪ ♪ I want the water in my eyes.

♪ ♪ I want to cry until the end of time.

♪ ♪ I want to let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ make a brand new ground.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ make brand-new ground.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ tonight.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I hold on to worry so tight, ♪ ♪ it's safe in here right next to my heart.

♪ ♪ Who now shouts at the top of her voice, ♪ ♪ let me go, let me out, ♪ ♪ this is not my choice.

♪ ♪ And I always felt it before, ♪ ♪ that the world was filled with much more, ♪ ♪ than the drowning soul I've learned to be, ♪ ♪ I just need the rain to remind me.

♪ ♪ I want to darken in the skies.

♪ ♪ Open the floodgates up.

♪ ♪ I want to change my mind.

♪ ♪ I want to be enough.

♪ ♪ I want the water in my eyes.

♪ ♪ I want to cry until the end of time.

♪ ♪ I want to let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ make a brand new ground.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ make brand-new ground.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ make a brand-new ground.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ make a brand-new ground.

♪ ♪ Let the rain come down, ♪ ♪ tonight.

♪♪ ♪ ♪ Sugar.

Sugar, butter, flour.

Sometimes I still see her, my mother the dreamer.

She'd say, "Nothing's impossible child."

♪ ♪ A dream needs believing, to taste like the real thing.

Like some stranger you recognize.

So pure, so electric.

So sure, so connected, to those little believers inside.

May we all be, so lucky.

But dreams are elusive.

The kind we've gotten used to, is nothing I can feel, nothing I can have, nothing that I know.

Dreams come and they go.

♪ ♪ But hold them and keep them.

And know that you need them.

When your breaking point's all that you have, a dream is a soft place to land.

♪ ♪ May we all be, so lucky.

Sugar, butter, flour.

(audience cheering and applause) (dog barking) (audience cheering and applause) BAREILLES: Thank you.

I'm gonna bring our dear friends back out, David and Emily.

Um, so this next song I co-wrote with a wonderful artist named Lori McKenna.

And I, uh, I had started this song after a sizable argument with my fiancé Joe Tippett.

(laughter) And uh, sort of like knowing that you're, you're gonna get to the other side of it, but you're just not really sure how at that moment.

And, um, I always come back to, you know, the truth, if you can just find a way to tell the truth to each other, um, and, and, and, and make it through.

So this song is all about that is, is just about how to tell the truth.

♪ ♪ ♪ Leavin' all the windows open.

♪ ♪ We don't even mind the rain.

♪ ♪ Where we let the floors get wet.

♪ ♪ So what if the hardwood stains?

♪ ♪ We're collecting evidence.

♪ ♪ One remarkable storm.

♪ ♪ How wild it was to find it, ♪ ♪ finally feel the climate.

♪ ♪ Instead of only staying dry and warm.

♪ ♪ Rain on us, Saint Honesty.

♪ ♪ Salvation is coming in the morning.

♪ ♪ But now what we need... ♪ ♪ Is a little rain on our face from you, ♪ ♪ sweet Saint Honesty.

♪ ♪ (Hmm, hmmm) ♪ ♪ (Hmm, hmmm) ♪ ♪ We won't sleep tonight.

♪ ♪ (Hmm, hmmm) ♪ ♪ While we brace against the wind.

♪ ♪ Oh, these hearts, ♪ ♪ they're weather-makers.

♪ ♪ We'll go where they take us.

♪ ♪ Until we find ourselves shelter again.

♪ ♪ (Oh) ♪ ♪ We won't settle for the silence.

♪ ♪ (Oh) ♪ ♪ We won't drown in the tears.

♪ ♪ We'll say every single word... ♪ ♪ Even if we think they'll hurt.

♪ ♪ Let the rain wash away these tears.

♪ ♪ Rain on us, ♪ ♪ Saint Honesty.

♪ ♪ Salvation is coming in the morning.

♪ ♪ And now what we need... ♪ ♪ Is a little rain on our face from you, ♪ ♪ sweet Saint Honesty.

♪ ♪ Oh, we won't let go.

♪ ♪ We'll be soaked to the bone.

♪ ♪ Baptized by truth, ♪ ♪ we will reap what we sow.

♪ ♪ Build our own higher ground ♪ ♪ when the rain's coming down.

♪ ♪ This is worth it to me.

♪ ♪ Saint Honesty.

♪ ♪ Rain... ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ Salvation is coming in the morning.

♪ ♪ Wait patiently, aiming straight for it.

♪ ♪ But now what we need... ♪ ♪ Is a little rain on our face from you, ♪ ♪ sweet Saint Honesty.

♪ ♪ Oooh-ooo.

♪ (audience cheering and applause) Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, you guys, come on.

Thank you so much.

(audience cheering and applause) Please welcome back, Nadia DiGiallonardo!

I grew up on musical theater.

I love musical theater.

And I started working on “Waitress” and I was like, why the have I had been doing anything else for my entire life?

I love this more than anything.

I love theater and musical theater in particular because it's like the land of the misfit toys.

It's like that thing that has always driven me of like the people that sort of don't feel like they belong anywhere.

Find themselves in these artistic communities.

GOLDSBERRY: I met Sara in person for the first time when she had just seen “Hamilton.” She'd just gotten up from the seat and she was in the process of writing “Waitress.” And so I was like, hi.

And we talked for a bit and she was like, “Yeah, I'm, I'm writing a musical myself.” And I'm like, “Oh my God, that's great.” And she just had a look on her face like... (sighs) ...you know, like, okay.

And I wasn't in any way.

I didn't think it was daunting because I knew her music.

I was already such a fan.

I'm like, okay, you know, this is gonna be great.

Um, but yeah, she, uh, she so she was a little subdued, I think probably because it's a lot.

CUNNINGHAM: I mean, God, it felt like all, all of her paths were always leading to those things.

There was always a tilt towards like those sweeping Broadway melodies.

She just always had that in the most tasteful way.

BAREILLES: “Waitress” came as a wild left turn that I was like, I had moved to New, to New York.

I wanted to audition.

I thought I would be on stage.

I mean, I thought I would audition for something.

I did audition for something.

It was awful.

I was like, this is so hard.

FOLDS: We all have stumbles and stuff along the way.

Um, but she's had the, um, the courage to just doesn't, maybe doesn't strike her as courage, but it's courage to most people to branch out and do other things.

BAREILLES: And then, so I, I lost confidence so I was like, oh, maybe I'm not ready to be on stage.

And then this opportunity came around to um, meet with Diane Pollis, who's our director for “Waitress.” And I hadn't seen the film, but I'm so glad I said yes, I knew nothing.

GOLDSBERRY: You can't be a beast and not have the confidence of a beast.

And that's what she is.

But at the same time, you have to be aware of, you have to be vulnerable, you have to be aware of all you don't know.

You have to be looking for help.

BAREILLES: I knew nothing about any of it and thank God, ‘cause if I knew how long I would have to work on that show, I would be like, “No, I'm not doing that.” (laughs).

But now I love it.

It, it changed my life in every possible way for the better.

Everything is because of “Waitress.” There is a before and after in my life, before and after “Waitress,” the people that are in my life, the work that I do, my profile as an artist.

Like, people know me and wanted to work with me because of “Waitress” in ways that I could never have fathomed.

I love this more than anything.

And I went on a return odyssey to musical, back to musical theater, which is my roots.

It's how I grew up... (audience cheering and applause) And D.C. loves its musical theater.

(audience cheering) I love that about you.

Nadia and I are working on a brand new musical called, “The Interestings.” And um, the-the lead character I fell mad in love with 'cause she's a mess.

And, um, she marries a, a really solid, loving, consistent man who, who can't understand why she keeps chasing these ideas that don't come to fruition.

And he wants her to just take stock of where she is and let it for once be enough.

Um, so this is his character's name is Dennis.

Um, this is Dennis's song.

It's called, “Enough”.

(audience cheering and applause) ♪ ♪ Enough.

What it even is, I'll never know.

It's impossible to give you 'cause it's so elusive.

But so intrusive.

And for you it's everything.

Enough.

Would you recognize it once it had arrived?

Or would something else shift as you step inside?

Some subtle discontent...

Some pride for private nullement?

Reminding you to never to touch the stuff.

No, not enough.

♪ ♪ I'll tell you a secret, I'll tell you the truth...

There's no one here but you.

No higher power to blame.

No wizard with no name.

Drawing the maps and changing the game...

So you never win.

You're chasing a ghost, my girl.

I'm so tired of helping.

♪ ♪ Enough.

God, I wish that you could see it from my side.

How it's everywhere, it's always been.

It's right beside your critic's eye.

And now it's time that you decide.

Am I...

Enough?

♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) Thank you so much!

Thank you, thank you.

Um, we have one very, very special guest.

It's a surprise for all of you.

Who do you think it is?

No, I'm just kidding.

(laughter).

Um, I've been a fan of this artist since as long as I can remember his artistry, the songwriting, the craft, the, just the person that he is.

And I'm just so grateful he's joining me.

Please welcome to the stage, Rufus Wainwright!

(audience cheering and applause) (audience cheering and applause) He's fancy, he's so fancy.

WAINWRIGHT: Good thing you're wearing sequins.

BAREILLES: Yes, otherwise, how would we know who... WAINWRIGHT: Otherwise there'd be a big problem.

BAREILLES: Who's in charge?

WAINWRIGHT: No, Sara, I just have to say it's been so wonderful today to be... BAREILLES: Oh, my God.

WAINWRIGHT: To have met you for the first time and to be with your team and with this wonderful orchestra.

The, the vibe has just been fantastic and, and it's a great pleasure and honor.

So thank you so much.

BAREILLES: Thank you, Thank you so much.

It's a literal dream come true.

♪ ♪ ♪ WAINWRIGHT: It's not simple to say.

♪ ♪ That most days I don't recognize me.

♪ ♪ That these shoes and this apron.

♪ ♪ That place and its patrons... ♪ ♪ Have taken more than I gave them.

♪ ♪ It's not easy to know.

♪ ♪ I'm not anything like I used to be.

♪ ♪ Although it's true.

♪ ♪ I was never attention's sweet center.

♪ ♪ Still I remember that girl.

♪ ♪ She's imperfect but she tries.

♪ ♪ She is good but she lies.

♪ ♪ She is hard on herself.

♪ ♪ She is broken and won't ask for help.

♪ ♪ She is messy but she's kind.

♪ ♪ She is lonely most of the time.

♪ ♪ She is all of this mixed up and baked in a ♪ ♪ beautiful pie.

♪ ♪ She is gone, ♪ ♪ but she used to be mine.

♪ (audience cheering and applause) ♪ BAREILLES: It's not what I asked for.

♪ ♪ Sometimes life ♪ ♪ just slips in through a back door.

♪ ♪ And carves out a person.

♪ ♪ And makes you believe it's all true.

♪ ♪ And now I've got you.

♪ ♪ And you're not what I asked for.

♪ ♪ If I'm honest I know I would give it all back.

♪ ♪ For a chance to start over.

♪ ♪ And rewrite an ending or two.

♪ ♪ For the girl that I knew... ♪ ♪ BOTH: Who was reckless just enough.

♪ ♪ Who got hurt.. ♪ ♪ But who learns how to toughen up ♪ ♪ when she's bruised... ♪ ♪ And gets used by a man who can't love.

♪ ♪ And then she'll get stuck and be scared... ♪ ♪ Of the life that's inside her... ♪ ♪ Growing stronger each day.

♪ ♪ 'Til it finally reminds her to fight just a little.

♪ ♪ To bring back the fire in her eyes.

♪ ♪ That's been gone... ♪ ♪ But used to be mine... ♪ ♪ Used to be mine... ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ BAREILLES: She is messy but she's kind.

♪ ♪ WAINWRIGHT: She is lonely most of the time.

♪ ♪ BOTH: She is all of this mixed up ♪ ♪ and baked in a beautiful pie.

♪ ♪ BAREILLES: She is gone ♪ ♪ but she used to be... ♪ ♪ BOTH: Mine.

♪ ♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) (audience cheering and applause) BAREILLES: This was a love letter written to a, to a friend of mine and it turned into this whole other thing in the world.

And I have learned so much from this song and I feel so lucky that I get to be a part of the story of this song.

And, and that's the most you can ever hope for as a songwriter, is that your song becomes something that belongs to everybody else.

I've really come to love the big swings.

I feel like get, being on the, finding where your edge is and, and kind of stepping towards that, I just, I have surprised myself.

It's, it's only grown my confidence.

MOOSE: Sarah's music is amazing because she's, she's often tackling something really big that like could be a topic that is politicized but is sort of universal in some way.

Something that we can all relate to.

It might seem like it's a love song, but it's, it's like a love song to, to women who are in a particular situation that, you know, that it's shocking to us that we're still in this situation in the 21st century.

KING: She has a clear idea of what she feels is the right thing and no matter what, like she's gonna represent that.

And it's usually in line with what is the right thing in my opinion.

And so, um, she's got a lot of balls.

What can I say?

BAREILLES: We have these big ideas and some of them work and some of them don't.

And people like, some of 'em, they hate others.

But that we would put ourselves out there and be vulnerable and offer these pieces of ourselves to the world, I think is so profoundly beautiful and so much a part of just what it means to be a person with a soul and a perspective and a need to share those things.

FOLDS: She tells you exactly where she stands in almost everything and she's still here.

It's okay, you can do that.

CUNNINGHAM: I just have all like this like mosaic of memories of her just like dancing around and being a goof.

And that's like, that is my spirit animal that is deeply who I am.

And I feel like she has always given me permission to be the weirdest version of myself.

GOLDSBERRY: When you choose to risk greatly, no matter what happens, you've normalized something.

That's what she does.

She normalizes for me, dreaming big.

BAREILLES: Not that everything has been successful, but that I'm, that I'm willing to kind of like go into the places where I don't quite know what I'm doing.

I like that about myself.

It's just the trying, I think is so, it's like what's so beautiful about the human spirit.

MOOSE: She draws so much, uh, uh, out of anyone that gets to work with her.

And over time this community emerges and it makes me feel like really seen and nurtured and-and loved and that's been a really great surprise.

HARRIS: We were in Sara's room and it was me and Sara and Emily and Rob, and I'm just incredibly grateful that I'm able to have these conversations, musical conversations and actual conversations and, and, um, being able to touch people and have myself be touched and my life enriched.

And um, you know, if I think about it long enough, I'm a, I'm pretty emotional guy and I'll start crying.

BAREILLES: I love part being a part of a community that's like, “Yes, you absolutely belong here.

We all belong here.” That's the most you can ever hope for as a songwriter, is that your song becomes something that belongs to everybody else.

And that's what I feel about this song.

So please, please join us.

It really is so meaningful.

(audience cheering and applause) Here we go.

♪ ♪ ♪ You can be amazing.

♪ ♪ You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug.

♪ ♪ You can be the outcast or be the backlash ♪ ♪ of somebody's lack of love.

♪ ♪ Or you can start speaking up.

♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna hurt you the way that words do.

♪ ♪ When they settle 'neath your skin.

♪ ♪ Kept on the inside and no sunlight.

♪ ♪ Sometimes a shadow wins.

♪ ♪ But I wonder what would happen if you.

♪ ♪ Say what you wanna say.

♪ ♪ And let the words fall out.

♪ ♪ Honestly, I wanna see you be brave.

♪ ♪ With what you want to say.

♪ ♪ And let the words fall out.

♪ ♪ Honestly, I wanna see you be brave.

♪ ♪ Wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I just wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I just wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Everybody's been there.

♪ ♪ Everybody's been stared down by the enemy.

♪ ♪ Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing.

♪ ♪ Bow down to the mighty.

♪ ♪ But don't run.

♪ ♪ And stop holding your tongue.

♪ ♪ Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live.

♪ ♪ Maybe one of these days you can let the light in.

♪ ♪ Show me how big your brave is.

♪ ♪ Say what you wanna say... ♪ ♪ AUDIENCE: And let the words fall out.

♪ ♪ Honestly... ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ AUDIENCE: With what you want to say.

♪ ♪ And let the words fall out.

♪ ♪ Honestly... ♪ ♪ BAREILLES: I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Innocence, your history of silence.

♪ ♪ Won't do you any good.

♪ ♪ Did you think it would?

♪ ♪ Let your words be anything but empty.

♪ ♪ Why don't you tell them the truth?

♪ ♪ Say what you wanna say.

♪ ♪ And let the words fall out.

♪ ♪ Honestly, I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ What you want to say.

♪ ♪ And let the words fall out.

♪ ♪ Honestly, I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I just wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I-I wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I just wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I just wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you be brave!

♪ ♪ Wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I just wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you.

♪ ♪ I wanna see you be brave!

♪♪ (audience cheering and applause) Thank you!

That came out not too bad.

(audience cheering and applause) (audience cheering and applause) Thank you so much.

Have a beautiful night!

Get home safe.

Thank you.

Happy New Year, Happy New Year!

Yeah, we were maniacs.

My dad and my uncle had dug these big holes and we had a horrible rainstorm and they were full of water and we were like, “Swimming, here we go!” I mean, we would come back filthy, just mud head to toe all the time.

Yeah, I mean, there's something to this day, I mean, I love getting my hands dirty.

I love being in the earth.

I think there's something really beautiful and natural about it all.