Singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles shared her unreleased track “Home” on this week’s episode of All There Is With Anderson Cooper, a song inspired by a previous conversation on the CNN podcast.
The Story Behind the Song
“Home” was written after Bareilles listened to a discussion between Anderson Cooper and Stephen Colbert during the podcast’s first season, where they discussed their experiences with grief and loss. Bareilles, who was also navigating personal losses, found their exchange deeply resonant and used it as a catalyst for writing the song.
“I was really moved,” Bareilles told Cooper. “It’s about telling your story, and about telling your story warts and all, is the thing that brings you back home…For me, on this earth, our work is to find ways to be bold enough to let other people see us. And telling stories is such an important part of that.”
Cooper revealed his emotional response to the song, stating he hadn’t heard it in advance and was “incredibly moved” and “a little embarrassed about how emotional I got.” The song premiered exclusively on Billboard.
A New Album and Recent Losses
Bareilles is currently working on her first full album since the COVID-19 pandemic, and “Home” will be included on the project. In recent years, Bareilles has publicly grieved the loss of Gavin Creel, a Tony Award-winning actor and singer who died in September 2024 from sarcoma. She honored Creel at the 2025 Tony Awards, having previously collaborated with him on Waitress: The Musical and other stage productions.
Bareilles first gained widespread recognition with her 2007 hit “Love Song,” which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. She continued her success with Kaleidoscope Heart (2010) and Amidst the Chaos (2019), both of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200.
The full episode of All There Is With Anderson Cooper, featuring the complete conversation and “Home,” will be available on cnn.com/allthereis on Thursday, March 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
What inspired Sara Bareilles to write “Home”?
The song was inspired by a conversation between Anderson Cooper and Stephen Colbert on the All There Is With Anderson Cooper podcast, where they discussed their experiences with grief and loss.
When will the full episode featuring “Home” be available?
The episode will be available on Thursday, March 19, on cnn.com/allthereis.
Has Sara Bareilles released a full album recently?
Bareilles is currently working on her first full album since the COVID-19 pandemic, with “Home” being part of the project.
What role does storytelling play in connecting with others, according to Bareilles?
