Music
Facebook
Twitter
The Feed
You TubeWalmart Soundcheck
Sara Bareilles
See all Pop
She's gonna sing you a 'Love Song.' Watch an exclusive show with one of music's brightest new stars. Only on Soundcheck.
You've arrived at Soundcheck...
Walmart’s original performance series where you get up close and personal with your favorite artists. Check out live performances and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from original in-studio sets – all filmed exclusively in HD. Soundcheck is broadcast in Walmart stores nationwide – or catch us online 24/7.
Help/FAQ
You won't need to download any additional video players or downloads. The Soundcheck performances play right inside the site itself, making it quick and easy to access.
Try hitting the refresh button on your browser. If that still doesn't work, review the minimum system requirements below.
PC
• Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional, Vista or Windows 7 in 32bit and 64bit
• Intel Pentium 4 2.33GHz, AMD Athlon™ 64 2800+ processor (or equivalent)
• At least 256 MB RAM
• 64MB of VRAM (video card memory)
• Internet Explorer 6.0 to 8.0 (IE 8.0 recommended)
• Mozilla Firefox 2.0 to 3.5
• Flash Version 9.0.115 and up.
MAC
• Mac OS X v10.4 or later
• PowerPC G5 1.8GHz, Intel Core Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor
• At least 256 MB RAM
• 64MB of VRAM (video card memory)
• Mozilla Firefox 2.0 to 3.5
• Safari 3.0
If you have the minimum system requirements, reinstall your Flash Player by clicking here
We have a top-notch music label relations team that helps us book acts. They are constantly on the phone with music labels around the country trying to get the best bands on Soundcheck.
Soundcheck is an original performance series created by the Wal-Mart Music team, giving you the opportunity to go behind the scenes and get an in-studio look at some of your favorite artists. Soundcheck plays right here on Walmart.com, or, for the full high definition experience, visit any Walmart store and head to the Electronics department to watch it on the Walmart TV Network.
We'll be adding new performances on a regular basis throughout the year, so please check back regularly at Walmart.com/soundcheck for more information.
We'll have artists from all genres; some old, some new, some huge, some more emerging - but all will be presented in the same intimate studio environment. So be on the lookout!
Check in regularly at Walmart.com/soundcheck, or visit your local Walmart store and watch the Walmart TV Network.
No. Just visit Walmart.com/soundcheck and watch for free!
Once the performances launch, you can play it anytime you want, 24 hours a day. We'll keep all artists up on the site under "The Performances" tab.
We recommend broadband DSL or Cable to anyone who wants to truly enjoy video and audio on the Internet. However, we have made available a smaller dial-up version so you don't miss out.
If you are reading this page right now, you likely have everything you need. However, watching the Soundcheck performances requires at least the following in order to properly stream media content:
PC
• Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional, Vista or Windows 7 in 32bit and 64bit
• Intel Pentium 4 2.33GHz, AMD Athlon™ 64 2800+ processor (or equivalent)
• At least 256 MB RAM
• 64MB of VRAM (video card memory)
• Internet Explorer 6.0 to 8.0 (IE 8.0 recommended)
• Mozilla Firefox 2.0 to 3.5
• Flash Version 9.0.115 and up.
MAC
• Mac OS X v10.4 or later
• PowerPC G5 1.8GHz, Intel Core Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor
• At least 256 MB RAM
• 64MB of VRAM (video card memory)
• Mozilla Firefox 2.0 to 3.5
• Safari 3.0
If you have the minimum system requirements, reinstall your Flash Player by clicking here
Browse Videos
icon to add a track to your current playlist
Performance Photos
About The Artist
The Set List
-The Crew at Wal-Mart Soundcheck
On 'Little Voice':
Let's make one thing clear: Sara Bareilles has a beautiful voice that can hardly be described as 'little.' We asked the self-taught pianist about the conflicting title behind her first big label effort: "'Little Voice' became sort of my mantra over the period of time when we were recording the record. When I first got into the studio, I was relatively new at this, so I felt like I got lost in the shuffle immediately. 'Little Voice' became kind of the thing I would say to myself to remind me to listen to myself - to articulate that and communicate that and stand up for my musical idea."
On the Power of Songwriting:
Bareilles has credited songwriting as a 'sacred' life force. We asked her about the origins of writing songs that dig deep: "It has to do with some of the solitude that I experienced growing up. I spent a lot of time alone in the forest because I loved being there. I would think up little songs and rhymes and sing to nobody. I think the songwriting has somehow been associated with that solitude and that creativity all in one. It's very special to me."
On Rock 'n' Roll & Redwoods:
"I'm from Eureka, California, which is a small town on the coast of California about five hours north of San Francisco. It's kind of a logging, fishing community; pretty small town in the sense that if you don't know somebody, you probably know somebody who knows that person. It was a great place to grow up. I spent a lot of time outdoors, and it's a very artistic community as well. I did community theater and felt very supported in that way."
- She's a California girl. Sara Beth Bareilles was born December 7, 1979 in Eureka, California.
- She was voted 'Most Talented' in high school. Bareilles attended UCLA and was a member of the college's a cappella group 'Awaken.'
- She's opened shows for some big names, including Mika, Maroon 5, Aqualung and Rocco DeLuca. She's scheduled to go on tour next with British singer James Blunt.
- She began singing in bars. Upon her UCLA graduation, Sara hit up L.A. drinking spots and night clubs and amassed a healthy following of fans. The exposure led to a recording contract.
- She's a big fan of Ani DiFranco, Elton John, Ben Folds Five, Bob Marley and Björk
- She wrote every song on her first album, 'Careful Confessions,' co-writing just one ('Love on the Rocks') with band member and friend Javier Dunn.
She's not going to write you a love song, but Bareilles kicks off our Soundcheck with the smash hit first single from the terrific album, 'Little Voice.' Ultimately, the clever lyricism and messaging behind 'Love Song' (written by Bareilles) transcend a traditional spurned lover's tale. With understated strength and insight to a relationship on the rocks, Bareilles delivers an affecting performance: "You made room for me but it's too soon to see / If I'm happy in your hands."
Bottle It Up
Sara returns to the Steinway along with band members Javier Dunn (guitar) and Josh Day (percussion, cajón) for the second selection from 'Little Voice.' 'Bottle It Up' showcases Sara's stellar songwriting and - like 'Love Song' - it's a beautiful, introspective tale about difficult love: "Started as a flicker meant to be a flame / Skin has gotten thicker but it burns the same."
Many the Miles
One of the more upbeat tracks from 'Little Voice,' 'Many the Miles' is a funky, finger-snapping, bluesy number that Bareilles tells us has personal significance. Explains the artist: "'Many the Miles' is a really fun song for me to play live. It's a three-part vocal harmony and it's got kind of a lilting cadence to it, so it's very easy to dance to it. Well, in my head! It's easy to dance to and move to and I love playing that song live."
Morningside
Many ballads on 'Little Voice' travel to darker terrain than your typical Top 40 fare. 'Morningside' is a signature Bareilles number that explores the intricacies of a grueling relationship. On her MySpace page, the artist says that 'Little Voice' chronicles her life, her relationships, her 'basket-case-ness' and a desire to be honest. 'Morningside' is a classic example of that vision; it's despairing, affecting and gut-wrenchingly real: "I could try to forget what you do / When I let you get through to me / But then you do it over again."
Gravity
Bareilles closes our set with the closing track from 'Little Voice' - 'Gravity.' A gorgeous, lilting song about the ups and downs of a relationship, 'Gravity' is a highlight of our Soundcheck set - and Bareilles delivers a raw rendition that hits a breathtaking vocal crescendo: "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."
