Try as we might, we can't really hide our love for Sara Bareilles. Her songs are catchy and sweet and they make us feel all sorts of feelings. Indeed, "feelings" are the name of the game when it comes to Bareilles, whose 2013 single "Brave" gave us a million more reasons to shout her praises. The 35-year-old singer's track, which cheerily proclaims that "you can be amazing" before digging deeper with "let your words be anything but empty," asks listeners to consider simply being brave and saying what's on their hearts and minds.
Since its release, we've seen scores of inspirational videos pop up from Bareilles fans around the world who've used her lyrics as an impetus for change, courage, or confidence. And to celebrate her appearance Wednesday on TODAY, we've compiled a few of our favorites below.
1. When Hoda Kotb, Bareilles, and Cyndi Lauper fought pediatric cancer with their 'Truly Brave’ music video
TODAY's own Hoda Kotb, a breast cancer survivor, was looking for a way to help bring some joy to kids in children's hospital. She decided to launch "Project Truly Brave," a musical collaboration between Sara Bareilles and Cyndi Lauper starring kids fighting cancer. In this clip, she visits the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and meets the inspirational kids who are part of the music video.
2. When the Amplatz Children's Hospital patients and staff inspired us
The Amplatz Children's Hospital at the University of Minnesota made Bareilles' song "Brave" their anthem. Viewing optional; tissues mandatory.
3. When Bareilles sang a duet with 4-year-old cancer patient Joshua Chambers
The 4-year-old not only jumped on the stage during one of Bareilles' performances at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida, but he also asked to wear her hat in what might be one of our favorite "Brave" moments yet.
4. When the PS22 chorus serenaded the songstress
The 35-year-old was graced with a performance by the voices of 65 young students from PS22, a Staten Island public school.
5. The moment when a nonverbal 5-year-old heard the "Brave" message
AJ Stafford has a host of severe medical conditions, including cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Normally, he doesn't have much of a reaction, if any, to his surroundings. But when he hears his favorite singer, all of that changes — especially when she's asking him to be brave.