"The Way I Am" is a song written by

Ingrid Michaelson Ingrid Ellen Michaelson (born December 8, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her first album, '' Slow the Rain,'' was released in 2005, and she has since released eight more albums: '' Girls and Boys,'' '' Be OK'', '' Everybody' ...

on her album '' Girls and Boys''. On September 21, 2007, Michaelson made her network television debut performing the song on '' Last Call with Carson Daly''. Caroline Pennell sang the song on the fifth season of '' The Voice'' in the knockout rounds, winning widespread fame, and was deemed the front runner of the show with her performance. ''American Idol'' Season 9 finalist Didi Benami performed a cover of the song on the Top 12 female performances on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. The song is frequently used to demonstrate Bose Corporation products due to its deep bass and crisp vocals.

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Autumn de Wilde. It depicts Michaelson dancing with a man (played by Greg Laswell, whom Michaelson would later marry) in a gymnasium where everyone present, except for Michaelson, is a

clown A clown is a person who performs comedy and arts in a state of open-mindedness using physical comedy, typically while wearing distinct makeup or costuming and reversing folkway-norms. History The most ancient clowns have been found in ...

or mime. Other dancers glare at Michaelson and she runs from the dance to a bathroom, where she uses lipstick to give her reflection the appearance of a clown nose, and then labels herself a "freak." Her dance partner, a clown, has followed her and embraces her when she emerges from the bathroom. They share a kiss and leave together.

Chart performance

The song debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at #80 on October 4, 2007, and peaked at #37. The single benefited from the exposure through its use in a national television ad campaign for Old Navy sweaters. On the Canadian Hot 100, "The Way I Am" peaked at #51. It has been certified Platinum by the RIAA and has sold 1.6 million copies in the United States.

Charts

Year-end charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Way I Am, The 2007 debut singles Songs written by Ingrid Michaelson Ingrid Michaelson songs 2006 songs