Backroads is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money by the vote of the people, November 4th, 2008.

Finally found the box to put your things in.

It's sitting open at the foot of the bed we used to sleep in.

How can I feel like it's the end as I fill it with beginnings?

As I fold your clothes and place it, I do it's slow with love and care just in case it's not the end, because the end is so dark I cannot face it.

Oo oh... And time is standing still.

And time is standing still.

Why is time still standing still?

Every door I open, I find you.

Though the world keeps on turning, I just can't seem to see through, to see through all the dust that won't settle, that's not dark enough to hide you.

And time standing still.

And time is standing still.

Why is time still standing still?

And then there's this note, barely 30 days old, where you gave me your word and you pledged me your soul, that we'd be here together until we were old, and here we are.

Sometime after dusk, the box is shut, and countless tears with it.

But on my wrist is a gift that's been with me since last Christmas.

It reminds me of a good time, so I think I'm gonna keep it, And time is standing still.

And time is standing still, Why is time still standing still?

Why is time still standing still?

I am Elska.

I am from Minneapolis.

Born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota but I've been living in Minneapolis for the last decade or so, and over the last few years have really gotten into songwriting, and just recently released my debut record, "On The Shoulders Of Giants".

I've been performing for the better part of the last 6 or 7 years and then about 5 years ago, I met my songwriting partner, Owen Sartori, and we started writing in about 2018.

It was a slow, kind of steady, process as we began writing this last record, but until I met him, I hadn't really ventured out on writing on my own.

I had a lot that I wanted to say, but I stuck a lot with cover songs that meant something to me, and beginning the writing process with him allowed me to say, more personally, the messages that I wanted to get out there.

You're ok, you're ok, you're ok, you're ok. Not how she hears it.

You're fine, you're fine, you're fine, you're fine.

Not how she feels it.

We say just get over it, just get over it, just get over it.

Not your fault, Not your fault, Not your fault, Not your fault, is not how she hears it.

It'll pass, It'll pass, this will pass, is not how she feels it.

Just get over it, Just get over it.

Open, caring eyes, open soul and mind, a heart in division, something's missing.

When no words prevail, when our wisdom fails, Abandon the system.

Stop talking.

Listen.

You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong, that's how she hears it.

You're no good, you're no good, you're no good, you're no good, that's how she feels.

Open, caring eyes, open soul and mind.

A heart in division, something's missing.

When no words prevail, when our wisdom fails, abandon the system, stop talking, listen.

When no words prevail, when our Just get over it, just get over it.

Just get over it, just get over it.

Open caring eyes, open soul and mind, a heart in division, something's missing.

When no words prevail, when our wisdom Open caring eyes, open soul and mind, when somethings missing.

Stop talking, listen.

So, Elska is an old Norse word that means love and writing music from a very personal place is a very vulnerable thing, and I wanted to use a name that feels close to who I am, both in meaning and in the way that it sounds, but also creates space for something that's not just me, personally.

These messages are mostly from my perspective, but they're subject matter that affects all of us.

Full was the hourglass not long ago True like her body, not long ago.

Lines in her eyes never show, never show.

Whole in his heart were better days.

Lost in their lives, in younger days.

How could the color they had for each other begin to gray.

Slow is the arm around the wheel.

Gone is the love they used to feel.

I don't know how they're ever gonna heal.

No, is this happening to everyone?

Sure as the fading light of the setting sun.

Oh, to lament that the night's slow ascent has already begun, already begun.

Slow is the arm around the wheel.

Gone is the love they used to feel.

I don't know how they're ever gonna heal.

Love, Love, Love (instrumental) What used to come first, what used to feel grand, is now secondhand.

What used to come first, what used to feel grand.

What used to be new is now secondhand.

I refuse to accept this.

I can't understand, how we're all secondhand.

Slow is the arm around the wheel.

Gone is the love they used to feel.

I don't know how to free us from the wheel, gone is the love we used to feel.

I don't know how to free us from the wheel, gone I don't know how we're ever going to heal.

The album is called "On the Shoulders of Giants" and each of the songs has something to do with a political or social issue that means something to me.

There's a lot of mental health components, but woven throughout the record are relevant issues that I felt compelled to sing about.

I used to work in education.

Actually, I was a Special Education assistant and that work was very rewarding but it was very challenging and I did not find time for music.

So, when I left that world where I hoped that I was helping on a daily basis, I made a commitment to myself that if I was going to be leaving work where I was interacting with people that regularly, that if I chose music I was going to have to do it in such a way that I was hoping to make an impact on people's lives with regard to the issues that we see plaguing our society.

Caroline do you know where my gloves are?

The ones that you took off so I wouldn't get cold.

We were 18 because we were women, we weren't really human or so we were told.

So we marched in search of hope and we fought the battle so nobody else would have to know what we know.

Caroline we fell in love there.

Our lives became one there, when it wasn't allowed.

We had to hide like we'd committed a crime, dear.

I wanted to show everyone, dear.

But couldn't say it out loud.

So, we marched in search of hope, and we fought the battle so nobody else would have to know what we know.

We stood together when the government said we couldn't vote.

When politicians had a mission to decide who we hold.

Our hands controlled when there was nothing that could make me let go.

Caroline, I hope you can hear me I still fight like you're near me and I've gotta go.

Sometimes lyrics come first, sometimes music comes first but it all kind of starts with a feeling.

Sometimes themes will come first and then we create musical soundscapes based on those things and then melodies will sometimes reveal themselves in that process.

All I know is that we have to prioritize the time, we have to make time for creation.

I have a lot that I want to say and I'll end up kind of getting out a bunch of ideas and feelings and Owen has been a really good sounding board and kind of helps take a lot of the, sometimes it seems like to me the nonsense that comes out of my mouth and he figures out a beautiful way to craft the message and to communicate it in a way that people will resonate and understand.

If I could just find a hummingbird I bet I'd make him stay.

Just too fast, too colorful, too bad they don't remain in the same place.

Oh, oh my, check out that hummingbird he can't make up his mind 'cause he's not like any other bird 'cause just when he decides he'll fly off to another one then come back to the other one.

I think I might want a hummingbird and I bet I'll make A rose ain't red enough to keep him around, and the wilder flowers just let anyone in, to spread out.

Seems like everybody's trying to lure him away.

If he'd get close enough, I bet I'd make him stay.

Here comes just let anyone in to spread out seems like everybody's trying to lure him away Here comes that hummingbird and I know what's on his mind, he's just trying to wet that beak of his in every flower he finds.

He'll fly off to another one then come back to the other one.

I don't know why I want that hummingbird but I'm gonna make him mine.

A rose ain't red enough to keep him around, and the wild flowers just let anyone in, too spread out.

Seems like everybody's trying to lure him away.

But if he knew how sweet I am I bet I'd make him stay.

And if he found me, boy, those wings would never get tired.

And boy, he'd never never feel hunger.

I'd feel like home because home is wherever you are.

A rose ain't red enough to keep him around and the wilder flowers just let anyone in, too spread out.

Seems like everybody's trying to lure him away but if he'd get close enough, I'd let him know a rose ain't red enough to keep him around, and the wilder flowers just let anyone in, too spread out.

Seems like everybody's trying to lure him away.

But if he knew how sweet I am, I bet I'd make him stay.

We did a lot of the final steps of the production without being able to perform and engage with people and a lot of the promotion for the record happened inside a screen and so now being able to actually interact with people and engage with people has just oh it's just it's been the best and that's my favorite part about making music is the experience with other people.

My sister's a giant at five foot three.

Told to stay quiet decided to speak.

Caste a pariah girl you shouldn't be here, but she did it for her and she did it for me.

My sister's a giant at five foot nine.

A sword and a shield and a drawer of lines.

I can still feel his touch and it burns like an iron.

She laid him out on his back as she covered mine.

Oh, the torch that we carry was made for us.

The fire that it holds set ablaze for us.

The war that they fought is the same for us.

We can finally see light on the shoulders of giants.

My mom was a giant at 12 years old.

A child and a man and the mind to say no.

Oh, how we were raised, now that I know.

It all makes sense now the story's been told.

Oh, the torch that we carry was made for us The fire that it holds set ablaze for us.

The war that they bought is the same for us.

We can finally see light on the shoulders of giants.

Oh, the torch that we carry was made for us.

The fire that it holds at a place for us.

The war that they fought is the same for us.

We can finally see light on the shoulders of giants.

We can finally see light on the shoulders of giants.

We can finally see light on the shoulders of giants.

Backroads is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money by the vote of the people November 4th, 2008.