♪ But I stopped crying, well, most of the time ♪ ♪ And did some real healing ♪ I definitely write a lot about personal experiences, and that can make it tricky.

♪ I figured it out ♪ Funding for this program was provided by... Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

Good evening, and welcome to "Studio 3 Live."

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

Tonight, we're joined by Iowa native Elizabeth Moen.

A self-taught guitarist and songwriter, Elizabeth wrote her first songs while attending University of Iowa, before leaving Iowa and opening for artists including Ani DiFranco, Lake Street Dive, and more.

Elizabeth has also performed at festivals, including 80/35, the Hinterland Music Festival, Mission Creek, and South by Southwest.

Please help me welcome to the stage Elizabeth Moen.

[ Intro to "Where's My Bike" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ My bike is still in my ex's garage ♪ ♪ I'll never get it back ♪ ♪ The pile of to-do lists has gotten quite large ♪ ♪ Guess I'm all right with that ♪ ♪ My mom calls to ask about my week ♪ ♪ I can't tell it's a trap ♪ ♪ My leg starts to jump to show me I'm in ♪ ♪ Another panic attack ♪ ♪ My car is parked at the edge of my parent's lot ♪ ♪ 'Cause I basically live with them ♪ ♪ My phone overheated on the seat 'cause I forgot ♪ ♪ To bring all my stuff in ♪ ♪ But my friends don't talk to me much anymore ♪ ♪ I don't blame them ♪ ♪ What do I have left to say about anything ♪ ♪ That'd be worth listening to?

♪ ♪ Ooh, ooo-ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, oooooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Oooooh-oooooh ♪ ♪ Well, I didn't know ♪ ♪ I was in a rut ♪ ♪ Until I could feel it ♪ ♪ In my gut ♪ ♪ And I didn't think ♪ ♪ Things got this far ♪ ♪ And now I'm not sure ♪ ♪ What these things are ♪ ♪ No, no, no ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ My shoes are wet from the neighbor's yard ♪ ♪ My dad warned not to walk in ♪ ♪ I'm going to a café to stare at a book ♪ ♪ I'm too tired to be reading ♪ ♪ And my coffee is almost as bitter as I am ♪ ♪ Is it even worth drinking?

♪ ♪ I'm going to the park to lay on a tire swing ♪ ♪ Till someone catches me sleeping ♪ ♪ My arms are dangling back and forth ♪ ♪ Almost touching the hot sand ♪ ♪ I'm sick of singing songs about my exes ♪ ♪ To join somebody else's band ♪ ♪ Play songs about their life instead of mine ♪ ♪ Be part of a very marketable brand ♪ ♪ Or I could keep wallowing all afternoon ♪ ♪ And only think about my own problems ♪ ♪ Problems ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Well, I didn't know ♪ ♪ I was in a rut ♪ ♪ Until I could feel it ♪ ♪ In my gut ♪ ♪ And I didn't think ♪ ♪ Things got this far ♪ ♪ And now I'm not sure ♪ ♪ What these things are ♪ ♪ And I didn't think ♪ ♪ I was so far gone ♪ ♪ But now I got a feeling ♪ ♪ That I was wrong ♪ ♪ And I didn't think ♪ ♪ I could turn things around ♪ ♪ But now I'll put my feet ♪ ♪ Back on the ground ♪ [ Music ends ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] Elizabeth, thanks so much for being here.

How would you describe your music if someone has never heard it before?

It's a lot of different things.

I think sometimes it's folky, sometimes it's more soulful, sometimes it's country.

It kind of depends on the song and my mood, honestly.

Yeah.

Yeah.

[ Laughs ] ♪ Made plans for when I was 16 ♪ ♪ When I was about 8 or 9 ♪ ♪ Making plans for my mid-30s ♪ ♪ Since I turned 25 ♪ ♪ Seems strange, and if I do the math right ♪ ♪ Seems what I planned today ♪ ♪ Was planned out by my last self ♪ ♪ Round it up, and it's been a decade ♪ [ Tempo increases ] ♪ Synthetic fabrics ♪ ♪ Life syndicated ♪ ♪ Song symbiotic ♪ ♪ Simple and jaded ♪ ♪ Seemingly present ♪ ♪ Life anticipating ♪ ♪ Ideals and logic ♪ ♪ Blurred out and faded ♪ ♪ Spend the day focused on the next one ♪ ♪ Build a schedule I'll gracefully erase ♪ ♪ Spend the night with a head full of ideas ♪ ♪ I should put a list in its place ♪ ♪ Seems I need just a bit more consistency ♪ ♪ Or at least that's what the app said ♪ ♪ Scream out secrets in case someone's listening ♪ ♪ Cancel dinner and go straight to bed ♪ [ Tempo increases ] ♪ Synthetic fabrics ♪ ♪ Life syndicated ♪ ♪ Song symbiotic ♪ ♪ Simple and jaded ♪ ♪ Seemingly present ♪ ♪ Life anticipating ♪ ♪ Ideals and logic ♪ ♪ Blurred out and faded ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Lay in my old bed and do simple equations ♪ ♪ Try and bore myself to sleep ♪ ♪ Quickly veers to finances, then my body ♪ ♪ All the things I need to do by next week ♪ ♪ Next week, what if I got pregnant?

♪ ♪ What if one day I want to have kids?

♪ ♪ What if tomorrow I cancel my appointment?

♪ ♪ What I'm not made for this?

♪ [ Tempo increases ] ♪ Synthetic fabrics ♪ ♪ Life syndicated ♪ ♪ Song symbiotic ♪ ♪ Simple and jaded ♪ ♪ Seemingly present ♪ ♪ Life anticipating ♪ ♪ Ideals and logic ♪ ♪ Blurred out and faded ♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Can you tell us the story behind your song "Purple Flowers"?

Yeah, that's the one unreleased song.

It's about this bar in Chicago called the Rainbo Club.

And I went there one night and just had a crush on everyone in the room and was, like, so overwhelmed by the vibe of the place.

Like it -- Like, that place makes you feel like you're in a music video.

In a cool way, but also terrifying way.

[ Intro to "Purple Flowers" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Purple flowers trapped in a median ♪ ♪ Swaying as a city bus passes by and ♪ ♪ In my head, I'm slow-motion kissing ♪ ♪ Walking in the dark ♪ ♪ Wishing, wishing ♪ ♪ Life's beginning and beginning to end ♪ ♪ Middle of the night, hand tapping on a fence ♪ ♪ Hands in my head, I'm slow-motion picking ♪ ♪ The purple flowers dancing in my pocket ♪ ♪ Yes, I don't know you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ But I want to ♪ ♪ Oh-oh, and sometimes I ♪ ♪ I get so quiet ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ I'm not talking to you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ But when I do, oh ♪ ♪ I'll say something when I see you again ♪ ♪ Purple flowers outside the Rainbo ♪ ♪ On a Sunday, the pleasure is buzzing in my head ♪ ♪ With slow-motion dancing ♪ ♪ Coupled-up lovers singing, singing ♪ ♪ Show's beginning, beginning to end ♪ ♪ Middle of the room, boots ♪ ♪ Tapping to the music in my head ♪ ♪ Slow-motion kissing ♪ ♪ Turn around, and you're in ear, listening ♪ ♪ Hey, and I don't know you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ But I want to ♪ ♪ Oh-oh, and sometimes I ♪ ♪ I get so quiet ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ I'm not talking to you ♪ ♪ But when I do, oh-oh ♪ ♪ I'll say something when I see you again ♪ ♪ Again, again ♪ ♪ Again, again ♪ ♪ Again, again ♪ ♪ Again ♪ ♪♪ ♪ How you doing tonight?

♪ ♪ How you doing tonight?

♪ ♪ How you doing tonight?

♪ ♪ How you doing tonight?

♪ ♪ Skip the simple small talk ♪ ♪ Tell me something real about you ♪ ♪ Every secret that you got, oh ♪ ♪ Pretty sure I have one, too ♪ ♪ Well, I've wanted to, baby, I'm ♪ ♪ Wanting you ♪ ♪ Purple flowers in my pocket ♪ ♪ Purple flowers in my pocket ♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Who would you say are some of your biggest musical influences?

Brittany Howard and, uh, Hozier.

This year was very full circle.

I got to open for both of them -- Brittany here in Iowa and Hozier over in Chicago.

And that was kind of... trippy to get to play with the people who inspired me to want to make my own music.

Sure.

I remember seeing both of them at Bonnaroo one year, and I was like, "I want to do that."

And then now -- now I'm doing it.

It's amazing that you've kind of come to the place... Yeah.

...where you're opening for artists like that.

You know, we're talking about how I got started.

I think about that version of myself now getting to do these things.

And yeah, I just want to keep -- keep growing and seeing what else can happen.

[ Intro to "Sorry That I Love You" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Sorry that I love you ♪ ♪ I know that's not your style ♪ ♪ Sorry you can have it ♪ ♪ I know that means you won't call ♪ ♪ For a while ♪ ♪ A while ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You're just busy, dizzy, damn it all, baby ♪ ♪ Chase the moon and the stars in your eyes ♪ ♪ Quick to jump from a dreamy goodbye ♪ ♪ Driving back from your house late at night ♪ ♪ Looking up, you're looking down ♪ ♪ From the angle of the clouds ♪ ♪ Why don't you like what loves you?

♪ ♪ Sorry you can taste this ♪ ♪ Sweet, bitter part of my heart ♪ ♪ Sorry you can hold it ♪ ♪ I know that means you'll just have to ♪ ♪ Set it down ♪ ♪ It down ♪ ♪ You're just busy, dizzy, damn it all, baby ♪ ♪ Chase the moon and the stars in your eyes ♪ ♪ Quick to jump from the dreamy goodbyes ♪ ♪ Driving back from your house late at night ♪ ♪ Looking up, you're looking down ♪ ♪ From the angle of the clouds ♪ ♪ Why don't you like what loves you?

♪ ♪ You have nothing to prove to me ♪ ♪ You have nothing to lose with me ♪ ♪ You could have every part of me ♪ ♪ But you need the chase ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ You need the chase ♪ ♪ Baby ♪ ♪ Sorry that I love you ♪ ♪ I know that's not your style ♪ ♪ Sorry that I see you ♪ ♪ I know you don't want someone ♪ ♪ To turn around ♪ ♪ Around ♪ ♪ Around ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Why don't you like what loves you?

♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Thank you.

♪♪ Uh, this song is, uh, about doing mundane things, but being so blissed out that it doesn't feel boring.

Um...

Specifically, like, if you're thinking of a loved one.

Um, you're on your way to someone, and you're stuck in traffic, but you don't really care 'cause you're just excited to see them.

Um, so yeah, that's what the song is about.

I wrote it at the guitar store that I met Tristan at.

We both worked there, and he was really, really good at his job, and I was really, really bad at my job.

He was really good at explaining things to people and helping them buy things and make decisions.

And my job was to check bags at the door.

And I didn't check the bags.

I think a lot of people stole from that store when I worked there.

[ Laughter ] Um, but an example being I wrote this song while working the door 'cause I always got to have a guitar by me.

And so I wrote this song.

Um, so this song is dedicated to all those capos out there that were stolen during the making of this song.

[ Laughter ] [ Intro to "Is Heaven Just a Waiting Room?"

plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Is heaven just a waiting room?

♪ ♪♪ ♪ Watching ballroom dancing lessons across the street ♪ ♪ Heaven's anywhere I get to think of you ♪ ♪ Heaven's anywhere I'm happy to be ♪ ♪ Sitting with smile ♪ ♪ Humming to the clock ticking ♪ ♪ And being just fine with things taking a while ♪ ♪ I tried so hard to believe ♪ ♪ I'm done trying too hard at anything ♪ ♪ Promise I do believe in you ♪ ♪ Heaven's just the things we love to do ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Is heaven just a traffic jam?

♪ ♪ Outdated signal system since 1923 ♪ ♪ Heaven's anywhere I'm on my way to you ♪ ♪ Heaven's anywhere I'm happy to be ♪ ♪ Sitting with a smile ♪ ♪ Humming to the horn's blaring ♪ ♪ And being just fine with things taking a while ♪ ♪ I tried so hard to believe ♪ ♪ I'm done trying too hard at anything ♪ ♪ Promise I do believe in you ♪ ♪ Heaven's just the things we love to do ♪ ♪ Is heaven just your front porch swing?

♪ ♪ The one I lay on after letting the doorbell ring ♪ ♪ Heaven's anywhere I feel close to you ♪ ♪ Heaven's anywhere I'm happy to be ♪ ♪ Sitting with a smile ♪ ♪ Humming to your record player ♪ ♪ And being just fine with things taking a while ♪ ♪ I tried so hard to believe ♪ ♪ I'm done trying too hard at anything ♪ ♪ Promise I do believe in you ♪ ♪ Heaven's just the things we love to do ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Yeah.

Thank you.

Can you also tell us the story of your song "Songbird"?

That is the first ever song I wrote.

Yeah, that song is about -- also about communication and how hard it can be.

[ Intro to "Songbird" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I wish I could swoop you into my wings ♪ ♪ But I'm just a songbird outside your window ♪ ♪ And I wish I could come inside and sit on your table ♪ ♪ Just spend the morning talking and laughing ♪ ♪ I'm singing at the top of my lungs, trying to get through ♪ ♪ But you never understand me ♪ ♪ So I sit here and sing songs for you-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ And I wish you would climb up this old maple tree ♪ ♪ No, I wouldn't fly away like the other birds do ♪ ♪ And I wish you'd sit here among the branches and leaves ♪ ♪ Just spend the morning talking and laughing ♪ ♪ I'm singing at the top of my lungs, trying to get through ♪ ♪ But you never understand me ♪ ♪ So I sit here and sing songs for you-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ And I wish I could swoop you into my wings ♪ ♪ No, I wouldn't fly away like the other birds do ♪ ♪ And I wish I could speak in whatever language you do ♪ ♪ Just spend the morning talking and laughing ♪ ♪ I'm singing at the top of my lungs, trying to get through ♪ ♪ But you never understand me ♪ ♪ So I sit here and sing songs for you-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ Well, I'll sing all "oohs" and the "ahs" ♪ ♪ That you'd like me to ♪ ♪♪ ♪ 'Cause the "oohs" and "ahs" are the only way ♪ ♪ That I can say "I love you" ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ah, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] Thank you.

You released an album in 2022 called "Wherever You Aren't."

Can you talk a little bit about the creative process and the recording process for that album, as well?

The writing process was just I wrote a bunch of songs, picked my favorite ones, the ones that I felt were strongest at the time, and decided to record those.

So that record doesn't have one genre in it, but all the songs were just the ones that I felt made sense together and also, yeah, were just strong.

Like -- Like, lyrically, um, instrumentation-wise, um, energy-wise, it just -- They all made sense.

And then I recorded them all around the country and one song over in Dublin with different bands from different parts of the world who I have become friends with.

How much of that was a creative choice and how much of that was trying to work on an album while you're also touring and just kind of the -- the practical nature of -- of where you found yourself at those moments, too?

Uh, a mixture of both.

I'd say -- I'd say most of the things I end up doing are slightly intentional and slightly just because that's what makes sense.

Yeah, yeah.

And I was very lucky to have a Kickstarter for that record, and that helped me record it.

How did that Kickstarter -- How did that allow you to kind of stay independent in the creative control, and -- and what have been the challenges in being an independent artist and going that route, versus a record label?

So the Kickstarter enabled me to compensate people the way I want to.

I think it's really great when you can barter with other musicians, but, also, time is money.

And yeah, I just wanted to be able to pay everyone and also take my time and just make it big in a way I couldn't record yet.

And so the nice thing about being independent is that I'm the only one making decisions, and I'm the only, like, songwriter.

Like, everything is -- is mine, which is nice.

But that also means that all of the decisions are mine, all of the pressure is mine.

And it's really hard to get your music out there.

It's really -- Like, it's hard to convince anyone to listen to something new, um, or listen to something that isn't just, like, being shoved down their throat by, like, big radio.

Sure.

♪♪ Nice rugs.

Nice door we walked through.

[ Laughter ] We should put that -- We were talking about riders and how some venues, they have a thing called a rider, where you -- you put things that you want backstage.

Usually it's, like, bananas... Topo Chico.

And I want to put a door to walk out of as a requirement.

[ Laughter ] Woman: Whoo!

Just like that one.

Uh, this next song is by Arthur Russell, who was a fellow Iowan, originally.

Man: Whoo-whoo!

I released a cover -- a covers EP of all songs of his, um, earlier this year, and, uh... Yeah, I love this song.

I love all of his songs.

Um, yeah.

He was so, um -- He did so many things in so many genres, and, um... And it's just cool he was also from a small town in Iowa 'cause you -- you wouldn't think he was.

[ Intro to "Nobody Wants a Lonely Heart" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Now, as you eat ♪ ♪ Don't think of the one you love ♪ ♪ And on the street ♪ ♪ Don't look at the sky above ♪ ♪ And there's no one home ♪ ♪ So don't expect nothing ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody wants a lonely heart ♪ ♪ Now, like a dog ♪ ♪ Who's homeless and can't be sleeping ♪ ♪ Like a log ♪ ♪ He knows that he's best off keeping ♪ ♪ Out of sight, so don't expect nothing ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody wants a lonely heart ♪ ♪ And in the door ♪ ♪ There's nobody coming through it ♪ ♪ Anymore ♪ ♪ But I'm looking through it to some other way ♪ ♪ So don't expect nothing ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody wants a lonely heart ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, as you eat ♪ ♪ Don't think of the one you love ♪ ♪ And on the street ♪ ♪ Don't look at the sky above ♪ ♪ Yeah, there's no one home ♪ ♪ So don't expect nothing ♪ ♪ 'Cause nobody wants a lonely heart ♪ ♪ Mm-mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, applause ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] The cons of being independent is that you don't have a label helping pay for things, helping distribute things, have clout.

Clout is just such a thing that is annoying and necessary.

Um, you know, I have friends who are on big labels, and they complain to me of, like, "These people are taking a cut.

But, like, what for?"

And I'm like, "For the name."

Right.

Yeah.

Without their name on it, you know, that certain reviewer wouldn't review it, or that certain, you know, playlist wouldn't put -- wouldn't even listen.

And it's -- So there's give-and-take on both sides.

You know, I hear them complaining to me, and I'm like, "That's valid."

And then I complain to them, and they're like, "Yeah, that's valid.

I guess I am lucky I'm not alone."

It's hard either way.

Yeah, yeah.

A good friend of mine gave me some really good advice last -- two years ago.

And he was like, "Doing this as a career is like -- It's all about, how do you ride the wave?"

Because you're gonna have months or years where you think things are going well and then things aren't, and you just have to, like, keep going and manage yourself and your emotions and how you don't give up."

Ever since I heard him say that, I've just tried to really take that to heart, of... yeah, sometimes you think you're doing great and then you're like, "What am I doing?"

And then you're like, "Oh, my gosh, this is awesome.

I'm gonna do this forever."

"What am I doing?"

And you just gotta trust -- trust it and also make music that feels honest and good.

That's the thing that I'll never give up, which is playing and creating music that feels, uh, honest to me.

[ Intro to "Emotionally Available" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Turn me on and turn off the switch ♪ ♪♪ ♪ In my head, that tells me I am ♪ ♪ Just ♪ ♪ Another itch ♪ ♪ To scratch to pass the time ♪ ♪ To avoid ♪ ♪ The dark ♪ ♪ In your days ♪ ♪ Well, turn me down if ♪ ♪ You do not have the decency ♪ ♪ To say, whoo ♪ ♪♪ ♪ "I am not emotionally available ♪ ♪ And I am not currently fully capable ♪ Of new love" ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Take me out and take all my energy ♪ ♪ That I could give to someone else ♪ ♪ Or just me ♪ ♪ Instead you create a path ♪ ♪ For words to dance in a haze ♪ ♪ Well, turn me down ♪ ♪ If you do not have the decency ♪ ♪ To say, whoo ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ "I am not emotionally available ♪ ♪ And I am not currently fully capable ♪ ♪ Of new love ♪ ♪ Uh-huh-huh" ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, new love ♪ ♪ I am not ♪ ♪ Your old love and ♪ ♪ I am not ♪ ♪ Your old love and ♪ ♪ I am not ♪ ♪ Your old love ♪ [ Music stops, cheers and applause ] Are you -- How much are you pulling from your own personal experiences in writing these songs?

And maybe with that, you know, something that I think audiences may not think about is, after you write an album, if you tour around that album for a year, you're playing the same songs every night for a long period of time.

How has your relationship with the songs that you wrote a year ago or two years ago -- How has your relationship with those songs evolved over time?

Yeah, that also fluctuates.

You know, some songs, you're like, "I want to play this song forever," and then a year later, you're like, "I never want to sing this song again."

Yeah.

When you write things that are personal, your personal life changes.

Your, uh... relationship to people can change, and that can change how the song makes you feel.

I definitely write a lot about personal experiences.

And that can make it tricky.

There's a song that we'll sing called "Ex's House Party" and I always go back.

That's the one song where no matter what, for some reason, I go -- Whenever I play it, I go back to the moment that, like, I wrote it.

And that song, I wrote in, like, five minutes.

And it always makes me really sad, even -- Like, I am currently, like, in a, like, good thing, feeling real happy.

But I sing that song, and I still go back, and I'm like, "Oh, sad."

[ Chuckles ] [ Intro to "Ex's House Party" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I can see from the corner you're watching ♪ ♪ If I'm watching you, too ♪ ♪ Here again, and when we're out ♪ ♪ I tell them I'm just friends now with you ♪ ♪ Talk about what's old and new ♪ ♪ And dancing around what's in between ♪ ♪ Dirty walls and letting go and getting close again ♪ ♪ And what that really, truly means ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I can see from the landing ♪ ♪ You've got the affection you crave ♪ ♪ Would still be standing right here with the drink ♪ ♪ She made me, even if I'd stayed ♪ ♪ Slip right out of sight to get a ride ♪ ♪ Without saying goodbye ♪ ♪ Turn around to see if you would stop me ♪ ♪ Even though it'd hurt ♪ ♪ More if you tried ♪ ♪ I'm stuck in the hallway ♪ ♪ Afraid to close the door ♪ ♪ And you used to be so far away ♪ ♪ But not so much anymore ♪ ♪ And I built this up around me ♪ ♪ And I can't stop looking at the floor ♪ ♪ Well, it's hard to look you in the eye ♪ ♪ And know that this will never be more ♪ ♪ Than what it is now ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Streetlights are making lines ♪ ♪ Down the empty road from the rain ♪ ♪ So I'll wait inside ♪ ♪ Pretend to look at the faces in your frames ♪ ♪ Kitchen lights behind my back ♪ ♪ Are showing everything on the glass ♪ ♪ Well, your arm's around her shoulder ♪ ♪ And I'm trying to make sense on how I feel about the past ♪ ♪ I'm stuck in the hallway ♪ ♪ I'm afraid to close the door ♪ ♪ And you used to be so far away ♪ ♪ But not so much anymore ♪ ♪ And I built this up around me ♪ ♪ And I can't stop looking at the floor ♪ ♪ Well, it's hard to look you in the eye ♪ ♪ And know that this was never really more ♪ ♪ Than what it is now ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ah-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Well, it's hard to look you in the eye ♪ ♪ And know that this was never really more ♪ ♪ Than what it is now ♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] As you are onstage singing these songs that sound like they come from an experience or a moment in time in your own life, what do you hope that the people in the audience feel or take away from your shows?

I just hope they feel something and they feel glad to have left the house, and, um... that's all.

Yeah.

That's -- Yeah.

Liz, thank you so much for being here.

We're happy to have you on "Studio 3 Live."

Yeah.

Thanks again.

This is cool.

I like this couch.

Mm-hmm.

[ Laughs ] [ Intro to "Headgear" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ One, two, three, four.

♪ I thought my headaches in the morning ♪ ♪ Were coming from my bad dreaming ♪ ♪ But my lover told me I'm just grinding my teeth ♪ ♪ While I've been deep sleeping ♪ ♪ I thought my eyes were tired in the afternoon ♪ ♪ From the sun beaming ♪ ♪ But I stopped crying, well, most of the time ♪ ♪ And did some real healing ♪ Well, how 'bout that?

♪♪ ♪ I figured out it ♪ ♪ I talk about it now sometimes ♪ ♪ Oh, but what about?

♪ ♪ I thought my buzzing on the bad times ♪ ♪ Wouldn't come back in the late evening ♪ ♪ But when it does, I let myself go through all of those ♪ ♪ Bad feelings ♪ Well, how 'bout that?

♪♪ ♪ I figured it out ♪ ♪ I talk about it now sometimes ♪ ♪ Oh, but what about?

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I thought my mind was out to get me ♪ ♪ Much faster than my ♪ ♪ Body ♪ ♪ Well, my mind is faster than it thinks to run ♪ ♪ To where it doesn't need to be ♪ ♪ And when it comes back to the stillness ♪ ♪ Of my heavy breathing ♪ ♪ I kiss my lover, put a mouth guard in ♪ ♪ And get to ♪ ♪ Sleeping ♪ Thank you so much for being here.

Please have a great rest of your day.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Funding for program was provided by... Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.