Singer-songwriter and actor Sara Bareilles to deliver UCLA College commencement address

By Kayla McCormack | April 22, 2022

Grammy Award–winning singer, songwriter, actor and UCLA alum Sara Bareilles will deliver the keynote address at the 2025 UCLA College commencement ceremonies on Friday, June 13, in Pauley Pavilion on campus. The three ceremonies, scheduled for 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., will also feature remarks from Chancellor Julio Frenk and student speakers from the class of 2025.

“My time at UCLA held some of the most treasured years of my life. In many ways it still shapes the person I have become and am still becoming,” said Bareilles, who earned her bachelor’s degree in communication in 2003. “I feel so honored to get to share in this deeply meaningful time of transition for all the graduates, and to celebrate all the hard work, creativity, dedication, and resilience that helped them arrive at this very special day.”

Before hitting it big with her breakout single “Love Song” in 2007, Bareilles, who grew up in Northern California, was a UCLA undergraduate who performed with the campus’s Awaken A Cappella group and competed as a solo act in the university’s annual Spring Sing showcase, which she won in both 2000 and 2003. She credits those early performances with helping her refine her goals as a musician and providing a platform to share her music with a broader audience.

Since her early days singing throughout Westwood and Los Angeles and touring with fellow Bruins Maroon 5, Bareilles has built a career spanning music, theater, television and writing. In addition to being honored with two Grammy Awards, she has been nominated for multiple Grammys, Tonys and Emmys, has sold over 3 million albums and 15 million singles in the U.S., and her songs have been streamed more than 3.5 billion times worldwide.

On Broadway, Bareilles composed the music and lyrics for “Waitress,” which premiered in 2015 and enjoyed a nearly five-year run, during which she starred as the lead for extended periods, both in the U.S. and in London’s West End. She also starred in the 2022 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Into the Woods” and contributed to the original score of 2016’s “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical.”

On television, in addition to guest acting appearances on numerous shows, she played the role of Mary Magdalene in NBC’s 2018 live presentation “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” and for three seasons starred as Dawn Solano in the musical comedy “Girls5eva,” about an aging all-female pop group trying to resurrect their career, which is available on Netflix.

Her next major project is a musical adaptation of author Meg Wolitzer’s 2013 coming-of-age novel “The Interestings,” for which she is composing music and lyrics alongside award-winning playwright Sara Ruhl, who is writing the script.

Throughout her career, Bareilles has been a strong advocate for arts education, gender equality in the entertainment industry and mental health awareness, having used her global platform to share her own experiences with depression and anxiety and promote resources and support for those struggling with similar issues.

“Sara Bareilles is an extraordinary artist and storyteller, and we are thrilled to welcome her back to UCLA for this year’s commencement,” said Miguel García-Garibay, senior dean of the UCLA College and dean of physical sciences. “Her journey highlights the importance of creativity and perseverance—messages that are sure to resonate with graduates as they step into the next chapter of their lives.”

Bareilles was invited to be the 2025 commencement speaker by a UCLA committee made up of students, alumni, faculty members and administrators.

For more on 2025 commencement activities, visit UCLA’s commencement website.