The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson song)

"The Way I Am"
Single by Ingrid Michaelson
from the album Girls and Boys
Released	September 18, 2007 (U.S.)
Recorded	2006
Genre	Indie folk
Length	2:15
Label	Cabin 24
Songwriter(s)	Ingrid Michaelson
Producer(s)	Ingrid Michaelson
Ingrid Michaelson singles chronology
"The Way I Am" (2007) "Be OK" (2008)

"The Way I Am" is a song written by Ingrid Michaelson on her 2006 album Girls and Boys. It is one of her platinum hits. On September 21, 2007, Michaelson made her network television debut performing the song on Last Call with Carson Daly.

American Idol Season 9 finalist Didi Benami performed a cover of the song on the Top 12 female performances on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

In 2013, 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.

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,^[1] whom Michaelson would later marry) in a gymnasium where everyone present, except for Michaelson, is a clown 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.^[2]

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.^[3] 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.^[4][5]

Charts Chart (2007–09) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 36 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[7] 51 Canada AC (Billboard)[8] 23 Germany (GfK)[9] 69 US Billboard Hot 100[10] 37 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[11] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[12] 20 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[13] 15

Year-end charts Chart (2008) Position US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[14] 5 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[15] 39

References

1. "Things to do in Chicago – Chicago Tribune". Archived from the original on 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
2. IngridMichaelson (21 March 2009). "Ingrid Michaelson – "The Way I Am" – (official music video)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-12 – via YouTube.
3. "Gone Commercial: TV Ads as Unlikely Music Discovery Tool". Vertigo Shtick. Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
4. "RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - September 24, 2015". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
5. Trust, Gary (January 20, 2015). "The Biggest Hot 100 Hits to Peak at Nos. 50–26". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
6. "Ingrid Michaelson – The Way I Am" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
7. "Ingrid Michaelson Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
8. "Ingrid Michaelson Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard.
9. "Ingrid Michaelson – The Way I Am" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
10. "Ingrid Michaelson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
11. "Ingrid Michaelson Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
12. "Ingrid Michaelson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
13. "Ingrid Michaelson Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
14. "Adult Alternative Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. 9 December 2014. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
15. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2019.