NEWSSara Bareilles Saw Cocaine for the First Time on Maroon 5 Tour: 'It Was Crazy'
Sara Bareilles reflected on her early tours with Maroon 5, revealing the first time she saw cocaine.
July 1 2026, Published 9:18 a.m. ET
Sara Bareilles is looking back on one of the most unforgettable experiences from the early days of her music career.
The singer-songwriter recently recalled what it was like opening for Maroon 5 after the success of her breakout hit "Love Song." In 2007, as her debut single climbed the charts, Bareilles joined Maroon 5 as an opening act on the band's It Won't Be Soon Before Long Tour — and one unexpected moment has stayed with her ever since.
Sara Bareilles recalled seeing cocaine for the 'first time' while opening for Maroon 5 on their 2007 tour.
"Oh, my god, it was crazy. I saw cocaine for the first time," she recalled during a new interview with Rolling Stone. "Went to use the bathroom at a party and there was a little — this does not even belong to the band. This was just one of those things where we're out. And I was like, 'Oh, my god, that's cocaine!' Couldn't believe it."
Despite the surprising discovery, Bareilles made it clear she “still never done cocaine.”
She insisted, "I don't do drugs, except with therapists."
Bareilles had known Adam Levine and his bandmates since their college years at the University of California, Los Angeles, when the group was still performing as Kara's Flowers.
Maroon 5 Took Bareilles Under Their Wing
The Grammy winner said Maroon 5 treated her and her band like family and played a major role in launching her career.
Bareilles also spoke warmly about the support she received from Maroon 5 throughout the tour, crediting the band with helping shape her career.
"Those boys were so wonderful to us," Bareilles told the outlet. "They felt like big brothers. They took me and my band on the road. They took us under their wing. They shared everything they had. It was really awesome."
She later reunited with the group for their Hands All Over Tour in 2011, where another memorable experience caught her completely off guard.
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Bareilles Couldn't Believe Fans Were Throwing Underwear
Sara Bareilles also remembered being stunned when fans threw underwear onstage during the band's Hands All Over Tour.
This time, it wasn't backstage that surprised her — it was the audience.
"There was literally a lot of throwing underwear," Bareilles remembered. "I was like, 'I thought this was like a trope that happened,' but it's real. They just throw their underwear. 'Did you bring two pairs?' is the first thing I think about. Because if you're wearing a skirt and you sit down on a surface, your v---- is touching the chair. This is where my mind goes."
Bareilles has long credited Maroon 5 for giving her opportunities before she became a household name.
In a 2014 interview with CBS News, she reflected on touring with the band in both 2008 and 2012.
"Those boys changed the trajectory of my life in a big way, and yeah, I'm forever grateful," the "I Choose You" performer said.
A New Chapter Begins
Sara Bareilles is preparing to release her first album in seven years, ‘Good Grief,’ before heading out on a North American tour this fall.
These days, Bareilles is preparing for her next musical era.
The Grammy winner is set to release her first album in seven years, Good Grief, on Friday, August 28, before kicking off a North American tour in September.
“The decade of my forties has been all about stripping away artifice,” the singer-songwriter said. “I don’t want distance in my relationships, in my conversations, [with] fans, or the music. I don’t want artifice. I think it’s very easy to hide. And I’m terrified, but I’m not hiding.”
