(groovy music) - [Narrator] Your favorite local musicians like you've never seen them before.

Intimate collaborations between iconic artists and the musicians they want you to know about.

- Action.

- [Narrator] Tonight, Your Smith featuring Raffaella.

It's all happening now on the legendary 7th Street Entry stage.

(upbeat music) (audience cheers) - You can get wrapped up in your career as a musician because it asks so much of you.

You think that there's a path.

You hold onto this idea of the dream label or the dream path for you, and then you learn it wasn't it.

You have to let it go.

And you gotta rebuild and out of the fire, Your Smith was forged.

♪ So sweet ♪ ♪ She's original ♪ ♪ Never giving you ♪ what you want ♪ ♪ So sweet ♪ ♪ For a renegade ♪ ♪ For a renegade ♪ ♪ For a renegader ♪ ♪ You're lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ I know that you are ♪ ♪ I can see it ♪ written on your face ♪ ♪ I know I can do much better ♪ ♪ But I'm here in your car ♪ ♪ 'Cause no one makes ♪ me feel the same way ♪ ♪ And I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ Her wheels ♪ ♪ Beating up the dust ♪ ♪ Speeding out of LA ♪ ♪ Smoke screen ♪ ♪ And the radio ♪ ♪ And the radio ♪ ♪ Where'd you get it from ♪ ♪ She won't say ♪ ♪ You're lying to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ I know that you are ♪ ♪ I can see it ♪ written on your face ♪ ♪ I know I can do much better ♪ ♪ But I'm here in your car ♪ ♪ 'Cause no one makes ♪ me feel the same way ♪ ♪ And I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh Debbie, what'd ♪ you get me into ♪ ♪ This always happens ♪ when I listen to you ♪ ♪ You know I was only doing ♪ what you told me to do ♪ ♪ Oh Debbie, what'd ♪ you get me into ♪ ♪ You, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, uh ♪ ♪ I blame it on you, ♪ you, you, you, you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ I blame it on you ♪ ♪ You're lyin' to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lyin' to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lyin' and I blame it on you ♪ ♪ Hey, lyin' to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lyin' to me, Debbie ♪ ♪ Lyin' and I blame it on you ♪ (audience cheers) You're gonna hear a lot of stories tonight.

(audience cheers) Okay, so I kind of put like a blast out on Instagram, like, what questions do you want me to answer?

And everybody was like, "Why did you change your name?"

Okay, we know, we're aware of this.

Okay.

Talking to the right crowd here.

I started performing at 16 years old with my God-given name, Caroline Smith.

♪ Maybe I came just ♪ to break you down ♪ Do you wanna be like, break you down.

And I had a whole career under that name that I'm very proud of.

I worked really hard.

I got to do a lot of cool.

And I got to tour the country with some people that I still consider the loves of my life.

And then I moved to Los Angeles, which was a great experience.

But something happened between me starting my career at 16 and where we are now and that is the invention of social media.

Have we heard of that?

So imagine you start your career at 16 and every cringey decision you've ever made, you can just Google it.

So largely that I wanted a fresh search.

(keyboard taps) Who doesn't want a fresh search?

But the other part, if I can get real with you, and I think I can, this seems like a real crowd.

I am terrible with criticism.

Troll comments, everybody's like, "You worry about that?"

Like, dude, that's all I think about.

They'll be like 90 million, "Oh, that's great," and then somebody's like, "I don't know, you're a little overrated and the Michael Jackson dance moves aren't really hitting."

So when you're up here performing under your own name, you're bearing your soul.

You know, I'm writing songs about things I deeply feel.

And I got to a point where I was like, I need some protection.

Like I need a character I can slip into.

They're not fake stories under a new name.

They're really my stories, but there's a version of me that you can have.

There's a version of Caroline that can be yours.

There's Your Smith.

And so that's the one that you can have and then Caroline can just be for me.

(audience cheers) ♪ Holy, this could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to ♪ stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in ♪ ♪ To keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ I took the weekend to ♪ comb through the accident ♪ ♪ The moments when our ♪ bodies crashed into ♪ ♪ And damn it, ♪ now you drink up ♪ ♪ Whenever you can say to me ♪ ♪ I think it's best if ♪ I'm just passing through ♪ ♪ I can't believe ♪ this, I can't deny it ♪ ♪ I thought I'd beat this ♪ and now I'm, and now I'm ♪ ♪ Laughing 'cause I was acting ♪ ♪ Like I ever stood a ♪ chance to win this time ♪ ♪ Holy, this could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to ♪ stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in ♪ ♪ To keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ And, Jesus Christ, ♪ you might be right ♪ ♪ This really is goodbye ♪ ♪ I'll hold on 'til tomorrow ♪ ♪ But then I'm gone ♪ for good this time ♪ ♪ Good this ♪ ♪ Hey, man of weakness, I ♪ got a question for you ♪ ♪ Was it off the cuff, ♪ or was it a planned ♪ ♪ You know, I'm ♪ never good at stuff ♪ ♪ That I'm not quite ♪ in control of ♪ ♪ And I'm feeling like ♪ you had the upper hand ♪ ♪ I can't believe this, ♪ I can't deny you ♪ ♪ I thought I'd beat this ♪ and now I'm, and now I'm ♪ ♪ Laughing 'cause I was acting ♪ ♪ Like I ever stood a chance ♪ to win this time, hah ♪ ♪ Holy, this could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to ♪ stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in ♪ ♪ To keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ And, Jesus Christ, ♪ you might be right ♪ ♪ This really is goodbye ♪ ♪ I'll hold on 'til tomorrow ♪ ♪ But then I'm gone ♪ for good this time ♪ ♪ Good this ♪ ♪ Now listen, I ♪ hope that one day ♪ ♪ I'll comb through ♪ the evidence ♪ ♪ And find out who was ♪ sleeping in my bed ♪ ♪ I hope I figure ♪ out a name for you ♪ ♪ That better suits ♪ you well than ♪ ♪ That guy that used to dance ♪ ♪ Around the way ♪ he really felt ♪ ♪ Holy, this could be it ♪ ♪ It's bound to ♪ stick this time ♪ ♪ I'm sending my best guys in ♪ ♪ To keep an eye on me tonight ♪ ♪ And, Jesus Christ, ♪ you might be right ♪ ♪ This really is goodbye ♪ ♪ I'll hold on 'til tomorrow ♪ ♪ But then I'm gone ♪ for good this time ♪ ♪ Good this ♪ (audience cheers) I love doing solo sets.

They're my favorite.

I put together a solo set to be able to open for larger acts because it allowed me to like get in their van or their tour bus.

- [Producer] All right.

- Okay.

And I ended up loving performing that way.

It's the way that I like to be creative.

It's a lot of production.

It's a lot of triggering different tracks.

It's a lot of sampling.

It's a lot of playing with samples.

♪ It's been a while since I ♪ ♪ It's been a while ♪ since I felt that way ♪ ♪ I waste all my time on you ♪ ♪ Your necklace ♪ swings in the view ♪ ♪ Now I want to buy one too ♪ ♪ I ask you to help me out ♪ ♪ Even when I, I know how ♪ ♪ To do what I asked of you ♪ ♪ If only ♪ ♪ Being honest ♪ ♪ The thought of you is swimming ♪ back and forth in my head ♪ ♪ 'Cause you're always ♪ ♪ What I wanted ♪ ♪ I wonder if you'll ever ♪ find your way to my bed ♪ ♪ Tell me if there's something ♪ ♪ Tell me if there's ♪ something you need ♪ ♪ Ooh wee, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Tell me if you're hungry ♪ ♪ Milkshake with some ♪ eggs and bacon, baby ♪ ♪ Ooh wee, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Let me show, let me ♪ show, let me show ♪ ♪ Let me show you just how ♪ much I can do, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Ooh wee, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Tell me if there's something ♪ ♪ Explain it to me, ♪ whatever you need ♪ ♪ Ooh wee ♪ ♪ Any little thing you need, ♪ I sit on a step alone ♪ ♪ But I keep enough ♪ room for you ♪ ♪ In case you come along ♪ ♪ When I laugh I ♪ touch your arm ♪ ♪ I read that that helps a lot ♪ ♪ With showing you what I want ♪ ♪ How you doing ♪ ♪ Tell me if there's something ♪ ♪ Tell me if there's ♪ something you need ♪ ♪ Ooh wee, baby, whoo ♪ ♪ Tell me if you're hungry ♪ ♪ Milkshake with some ♪ eggs and bacon, baby ♪ ♪ Ooh wee ♪ ♪ Are you hungry ♪ ♪ Let me show, let me ♪ show, let me show ♪ ♪ Let me show you just how ♪ much I can do, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Ooh wee, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Tell me if there's something ♪ ♪ Explain it to me, ♪ whatever you need ♪ ♪ Ooh wee ♪ ♪ There's something I ♪ could do for you, baby ♪ (groovy music) ♪ Doing it, doing, give ♪ it to me, ooh wee ♪ To make ends meet being a songwriter in Los Angeles, I would DJ a lot of different events and a lot of different hotels and a lot of different bars.

And one of the bars I DJ'ed was a '70s themed bar.

So I could only play music from the '70s and before.

And so I had to learn how to jog, which means you just like match music that's not on a grid.

And so that's what gave me the idea is like, oh, well I'll just like jog my own songs and kind of make it this interactive experience.

♪ Doing it, doing, give ♪ it to me, ooh wee ♪ ♪ Doing it, doing, give ♪ it to me, ooh wee ♪ This song is called "Trying Not To Love You."

(audience cheers) ♪ My god, what does it mean ♪ ♪ When I call to talk ♪ and I fall apart ♪ ♪ 'Cause you won't ♪ pick up your phone ♪ ♪ Guess I can't admit ♪ I'm in over my head ♪ ♪ That I'm falling down ♪ that slippery slope ♪ ♪ And climbing back ♪ into your bed ♪ ♪ Please baby ♪ ♪ Let me go on living in ♪ the eye of the storm ♪ ♪ Please baby ♪ ♪ Let me go on thinking ♪ that I'm in control ♪ ♪ When I, when I'm ♪ trying not to love you ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When he leans, I lean ♪ ♪ Hanging on his candor ♪ ♪ Just another fan girl ♪ ♪ If he goes, I follow, 'cause ♪ ♪ Maybe if I'm with him ♪ ♪ I won't get to thinking ♪ ♪ It gets harder and ♪ harder and harder ♪ ♪ To ignore the bad things ♪ ♪ When you keep on, you ♪ keep on, you keep on ♪ ♪ Giving me things ♪ that ain't good ♪ ♪ It gets harder and ♪ harder and harder ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm starting to see ♪ ♪ What you're keeping ♪ from me, and still ♪ ♪ I'm begging for ♪ more and more, baby ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ (audience cheers) ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ When he leans, I lean ♪ ♪ Hanging on his candor ♪ ♪ Just another fan girl ♪ ♪ If he goes, I follow, 'cause ♪ ♪ Maybe if I'm with him ♪ ♪ I won't get to thinking ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ Trying not to love ♪ you, trying not to love ♪ ♪ Trying not to love ♪ you, trying not to love ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ ♪ Love you, love you, love you ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ When I'm trying ♪ not to love you ♪ (audience cheers) Thank you.

(audience cheers) Thank you.

So I included that song "Trying Not To Love You."

It's a Caroline Smith song.

One of the last I think that was released under that name.

I wrote that song when I was signed to Roc Nation.

Yes, I was signed to Roc Nation and obviously it didn't work out.

Me, Roc Nation, Rihanna?

What?

Bro.

I was in rooms with a lot of like big pop writers and I was just trying to make the song that I thought would like make Jay Brown happy.

And I honestly thought of you.

I thought of Minneapolis.

I was like, what would they say?

I followed up "Half About Being a Woman" with a bunch of like generic love songs over 808s.

Swear to god.

I was like, I could never show my face again.

I felt embarrassed that I was signed to such a large company, a Jay-Z's record label and it didn't work out.

And now I look back thinking it's such a funny piece of trivia.

Check, check, check, check.

It's so random that I was like bumping elbows with Jay-Z and Rihanna.

♪ I got a bad habit ♪ Some things that you want to work out so badly, they just shouldn't work out.

♪ Bad habit ♪ ♪ Bad habit ♪ ♪ Bad habit ♪ "Bad Habit" was the first song that I wrote after I had decided I was going to create a new name.

♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you ♪ is the worst one ♪ I had been worried for a long time about making the music that was gonna take me to the next place.

Like it was all I could think of.

And then like the mentality that came with Your Smith was like, well then, it, I'm gonna write what I wanna write.

And so this wasn't a sound that I think people in LA were necessarily chasing, but it was something that I would have listened to.

(audience cheers) ♪ We drove until ♪ we beat the sun ♪ ♪ From home to LA ♪ ♪ I think we loved ♪ each other most ♪ ♪ When we were runnin' away ♪ ♪ We sat down at ♪ a bar to think ♪ ♪ You said it could be worse ♪ ♪ You tore the labels ♪ from your drink ♪ ♪ We might as well ♪ get home first ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of smoking too much ♪ ♪ Of drinking onstage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of living rich ♪ ♪ On minimum wage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you ♪ ♪ Is the worst one ♪ ♪ It's the worst one ♪ ♪ You said don't you ♪ ever, ever, ever change ♪ ♪ As long as you live ♪ ♪ You were always good at ♪ sayin' things like that ♪ ♪ Without much to give ♪ ♪ I could see my door to leave ♪ ♪ But then you ♪ asked me to dance ♪ ♪ So I swayed along ♪ to Carole King ♪ ♪ With my hands in your hands ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of smoking too much ♪ ♪ Of drinking onstage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of living rich ♪ ♪ On minimum wage ♪ ♪ Of needing to go ♪ ♪ But choosing to stay ♪ ♪ Of putting it off ♪ ♪ 'Til another day ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you ♪ ♪ Is the worst one ♪ ♪ It's the worst one ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Spent so long together ♪ ♪ We lost sight of each other ♪ ♪ We watched our time ♪ get carried away ♪ ♪ Refused to read the warnings ♪ ♪ And now I spend my mornings ♪ ♪ Wondering why I ♪ needed to stay ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of smoking too much ♪ ♪ Of drinking onstage ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ Of living rich ♪ ♪ On minimum wage ♪ ♪ Of needing to go ♪ ♪ But choosing to stay ♪ ♪ Of putting it off ♪ ♪ 'Til another day ♪ ♪ I got a bad habit ♪ ♪ But loving you ♪ ♪ Is the worst one ♪ ♪ It's the worst one ♪ I think songwriting is a muscle.

If you don't use it, it gets flabby and then you have to write some bad songs, get back to the good songs.

You have to like get back in shape so to speak.

- [Producer] Just a sec, I will come back to that.

- The muscle that I speak of is the one that connects your authentic feeling and it like bypasses your conscious brain to be able to get it out.

Otherwise you're like, I feel this way, and then there's that front brain that's like, nobody wants to hear that.

You could probably say that better.

Like why would you even write that?

Actually let's just not write.

You know what, let's not even do music.

(laughs) You just have to be able to write without that voice catching on.

Like while it's looking the other way.

I'm just like, wait a minute, you wrote a whole song, but wait, and it's like, no, it's too late.

So (laughs) that's kind of how I always view songwriting.

(audience cheers) ♪ I was feeling crazy that ♪ summer when he let me go again ♪ ♪ I tried a couple ♪ things, kept my distance ♪ ♪ Spread my wings, ♪ tried other men ♪ ♪ And I could have told you ♪ I was on the wrong side ♪ ♪ Of what was ever ♪ gonna work, again ♪ ♪ Gotta get you off my mind ♪ ♪ So I'm driving up the five ♪ to stay alive 'til Jefferson ♪ ♪ 'Cause up there's a spot ♪ ♪ Whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the ♪ green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Where if you're ♪ hurtin' at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack ♪ another cerveza ♪ ♪ Whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Whoo ♪ ♪ Chewin' on some gum, walkin' ♪ home, and feelin' dumb ♪ ♪ From giving in to ♪ him another night ♪ ♪ God damn it, it's the ♪ way he always stays ♪ ♪ Far enough away ♪ to waste my time ♪ ♪ Mm ♪ ♪ And I could have told you I ♪ was only settin' up the deck ♪ ♪ Against myself again ♪ ♪ If you got a guy like ♪ mine then read the signs ♪ ♪ Don't lose your mind, make ♪ the drive to Jefferson ♪ ♪ And don't stop ♪ ♪ 'Cause up there's a spot ♪ ♪ Whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the ♪ green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Where if you're ♪ hurtin' at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack ♪ another cerveza ♪ ♪ Whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Da, da, da, da-da, ♪ da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ You don't need nobody, what ♪ ♪ You don't need nobody ♪ ♪ You don't need nobody ♪ ♪ You see, I could ♪ tell you that ♪ ♪ You don't need ♪ no money, what ♪ ♪ You don't need no money ♪ ♪ So come on bring that body ♪ ♪ Over to the spot ♪ ♪ 'Cause up there's a spot ♪ ♪ Whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the ♪ green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Where if you're ♪ hurtin' at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack ♪ another cerveza ♪ ♪ Whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Whether you like it or not ♪ ♪ They keep the ♪ green on rotation ♪ ♪ No invitation, no call ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ ♪ Where if you're ♪ hurtin' at all ♪ ♪ They'll crack ♪ another cerveza ♪ ♪ Whether you waste it or not ♪ ♪ Yeah, up at the spot ♪ (upbeat music) When you write songs, especially living in Los Angeles, I wrote, it was like a nine-to-five job.

I wrote all the time.

There were a lot of like amazing things happening, but I was hitting this like rut where I was like, just don't feel like inspired.

I feel pretty drained.

And then honestly it was like the snapping moment, like the final like toothpick that snapped was like we need you to do more TikToks.

♪ But I'm here right ♪ - FaceTime baby.

(TikToker sneezes) And then I was like, no.

No, absolutely not.

This feels bad.

Cool.

It was April, 2020.

Adam, my then boyfriend, now husband and I moved back to Minnesota and I stopped doing music for a little bit.

You know, it's easier to say like the pandemic, everything closed and my tours were canceled so we moved home.

But the actual truth is that I always wanted to be a mother.

(cheerful music) You can really put that stuff on the back burner.

And I know a lot of people who have like woken up being like, I'm not where I wanna be in my career and I don't have the baby or the thing that you wanted that didn't have anything to do with your career.

I always wanted to get married and have a baby, whatever iteration that looked like, and we did that.

And my husband is a very talented chef and he always wanted his own spot.

So we, I say we, but it's really his thing.

But we opened a restaurant and a bar in Stillwater, Minnesota called Howard's Bar.

And I was like cool, I'm done with music.

I'm actually very happy doing this.

But music.

♪ Go on, my friend ♪ ♪ Tell me what it takes again ♪ ♪ To paint the kind ♪ of woman I could be ♪ ♪ The rope goes slack ♪ ♪ And the road just ♪ leads me back ♪ ♪ To the day when I first ♪ stumbled in your dreams ♪ ♪ You could've told ♪ me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ You could've told ♪ me when you left me ♪ ♪ It wasn't all my fault ♪ ♪ Yeah, last night ♪ on the phone ♪ ♪ Before you let me go ♪ ♪ You could've told ♪ me when you left me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ Gone ♪ ♪ Go on, my friend ♪ ♪ Did the loneliness creep in ♪ ♪ Did the thief come back ♪ last night to steal my crown ♪ ♪ Did you watch as I ran ♪ ♪ Did you stand, thinking, I ♪ know she'll be back again ♪ ♪ Did it take just long ♪ enough to wear me down ♪ ♪ You could've told ♪ me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ You could've told ♪ me when you left me ♪ ♪ It wasn't all my fault ♪ ♪ Yeah, last night ♪ on the phone ♪ ♪ Before you let me go ♪ ♪ You could've told ♪ me when you met me ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ Gone ♪ 7th Street Entry, I always cite is like my favorite place to play because it's historic, and everybody in the audience is just like right there, like right on your level.

♪ All of your love was gone ♪ ♪ Gone ♪ ♪ I should've known your ♪ love was already gone ♪ ♪ Locked out ♪ We're all like sweating and like crammed in to the same show, including me.

We're all like in it together, you know?

♪ You could've told me, yeah ♪ ♪ You could've ♪ All right, Minneapolis.

Are you ready to dance with me?

(audience cheers) I need you to lose your mind, are you ready?

(upbeat music) ♪ I wish I knew stronghold ♪ ♪ A way to keep you still ♪ ♪ But you never know ♪ what love could do ♪ ♪ And maybe you never will ♪ ♪ And I could go on, ♪ singing a sad, sad song ♪ ♪ Casting tears unto my phone ♪ ♪ But I aint too certain ♪ ♪ That that would ♪ even bring you home ♪ ♪ Oh, I've been hanging ♪ up all my hopes ♪ ♪ On the telephone line ♪ ♪ And I've been waiting ♪ so lonely down ♪ ♪ By the set, you know why ♪ ♪ And time after time, ♪ text after text ♪ ♪ Still you can't see I ♪ ain't feeling the best ♪ ♪ So you gotta know ♪ ♪ I've been hanging up all my ♪ hopes on the telephone line ♪ ♪ The telephone ♪ ♪ The telephone line ♪ ♪ The telephone, ♪ telephone, telephone ♪ ♪ The telephone line ♪ ♪ In my dream ♪ ♪ You and me ♪ ♪ We were dancing in my sleep ♪ ♪ You were free ♪ ♪ You were so free ♪ ♪ From all of the timezones ♪ ♪ Don't you see ♪ ♪ We could be ♪ ♪ Matching footsteps ♪ on the street ♪ ♪ My two feet ♪ ♪ Would you please, oh ♪ ♪ Would you come home to me ♪ Where are my electric sliders?

Where's Mina Moore?

♪ I've been hanging up all my ♪ hopes on the telephone line ♪ ♪ And I've been ♪ waiting so lonely ♪ ♪ Down by the set, ♪ you know why ♪ ♪ And time after time, ♪ text after text ♪ ♪ Still you can't see I ♪ ain't feeling the best ♪ ♪ So you gotta know ♪ ♪ I've been hanging up all my ♪ hopes on the telephone line ♪ ♪ The telephone ♪ ♪ The telephone line ♪ ♪ Telephone ♪ That's my best friend.

(audience cheers) Whew.

Sorry I'm just catching my breath.

And get my stool.

(audience laughs) Do I encounter doubts in my career?

(audience laughs) How do I move through them?

I love that that's the part B, how do I move through them, because that's kind of the answer.

You just move through them.

How do you move a pile of rocks?

One rock at a time.

How do you make an album?

One song at a time.

How do you write a song?

One chord at a time.

You just have to break it into chunks.

And when I get doubtful about my career, it usually means that I'm panned out too far, that I'm trying to write the best album.

Do you wanna know the number one way to not be able to write the best album?

Is by trying to write the best album.

I was writing songs for fun with a buddy of mine named Jake Luppen who's in Hippo Campus.

Those songs really started taking shape because when we stop holding something so tight, kind of that's when the magic happens.

They felt like me not trying to write something to propel my career.

- [Producer] Lovely, that sounds good.

- I mean, it's really difficult to do.

Ask any songwriter who's trying to stay authentic.

In the back of your head, you're always thinking, how does this fit into where I wanna go next?

But this has been like the most fun and the most genuine chapter of my career.

♪ I'd rather, you're ♪ raising in this bit ♪ ♪ Than face you right now ♪ ♪ I can't believe what I said ♪ ♪ The words I rule out ♪ when I open my mouth ♪ ♪ I mean, I've said I love you ♪ ♪ At least a thousand ♪ times by now ♪ ♪ But the drinks on our breath ♪ with our feet in the sink ♪ ♪ We made a difference somehow ♪ ♪ Now I wanna die ♪ ♪ 'Cause I said I love you ♪ ♪ Now I wanna die ♪ ♪ Should've ♪ definitely love you ♪ ♪ I'll just say ♪ what I always do ♪ ♪ When you walk in the room ♪ and all the eyes fall on you ♪ ♪ I say, hey there's my girl ♪ ♪ There she is ♪ ♪ Hey there's my girl ♪ ♪ There she is ♪ ♪ Coming back in pieces ♪ ♪ Your face in my memory ♪ ♪ Swims in this couch ♪ ♪ Our cigarettes burning ♪ ♪ I almost kissed you ♪ ♪ I think you could tell ♪ ♪ Now I wanna die ♪ ♪ When you walk in the room ♪ and all the eyes fall on you ♪ ♪ I say, hey there's my girl ♪ ♪ There she is ♪ ♪ Hey there's my girl ♪ ♪ Oh I'm doing fine ♪ ♪ Thanks for asking ♪ ♪ I'm doing okay ♪ ♪ Everything's great ♪ ♪ Everything's great ♪ ♪ Everything's great ♪ (upbeat music) (audience cheers) I'm gonna invite my friend Raffaella on stage with me tonight.

Is that cool with you guys?

Give it up for Raffaella.

(audience cheers) Raffaella is a Minneapolis transplant from New York and our paths crossed and I instantly fell in love with her.

- Yeah, we just got along pretty quickly.

I met her in the studio and she is a veteran of the music industry and I had been going through something that was really making me want to quit and she helped me not quit.

♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Someday, somebody's ♪ gonna make you ♪ ♪ Wanna turn around ♪ and say goodbye ♪ ♪ Until then, baby, are ♪ you going to let 'em ♪ ♪ Hold you down ♪ and make you cry ♪ ♪ Don't you know ♪ - Raffaella is one of my favorite local artists.

She's a fantastic songwriter.

Like lyrically driven.

Just personally in my kind of music I like to listen to.

(audience cheers) ♪ Manicures and pedicures ♪ and tax evasion ♪ ♪ Hypothetical dogs ♪ and a hangover ♪ ♪ Looking more and more ♪ like my mama I know ♪ ♪ We don't fight 'cause we ♪ only talk on the phone ♪ ♪ Getting naked on a ♪ green checkered rug ♪ ♪ Being sexy for ♪ the boy I love ♪ ♪ It's enough to make a girl ♪ ♪ Wanna cancel plans ♪ ♪ Go to bed mad ♪ ♪ 'Cause he couldn't ♪ read my mind ♪ ♪ Too bad, too ♪ ♪ I'm grown up now ♪ ♪ I buy my groceries ♪ at the grocery store ♪ ♪ Living rich even ♪ though I'm poor ♪ ♪ I'm just trying to ♪ make people love me ♪ ♪ Oh my god ♪ ♪ I'm independent and ♪ that makes me hot ♪ ♪ Let me show you ♪ baby what I've got ♪ ♪ I'm just trying to ♪ make people love me ♪ ♪ I keep having dreams ♪ that my loved ones died ♪ ♪ Damn near had a stroke ♪ when I turned 25 ♪ ♪ Sparkling water for ♪ the fancier drinks ♪ ♪ I gotta run an errand ♪ ♪ Make a copy at Kinkos ♪ ♪ Quick FaceTime with ♪ my long lost friends ♪ ♪ We had a good cry ♪ ♪ So sad, too bad ♪ ♪ I'm grown up now ♪ ♪ I buy my groceries ♪ at the grocery store ♪ - It's interesting listening your take on the Minneapolis music scene because you're so new to it.

I just feel very grateful that I have like survived the ups and downs to be a part of this new like coalition of young writers.

- With respect to Minneapolis, there is something so magical about this place.

And it's so like medicinal when it comes to- - That's why I came back.

♪ Just trying to ♪ make people love me ♪ (audience cheers) Thank you so much to Caroline, Your Smith for having me.

I love to celebrate community in Minneapolis and this is such a beautiful way to do that.

(audience cheers) ♪ You would be a lot ♪ happier if I were blonde ♪ ♪ Everybody's thinking it and ♪ everybody's saying it too ♪ ♪ Just give me my money, ♪ my time, my new salon ♪ ♪ Two cents and confidence, ♪ I'll get it ready for you ♪ ♪ My neighbor Gus can ♪ do it for pretty cheap ♪ ♪ He used to do bad, ♪ bad, bad drugs ♪ ♪ But now he's gotten clean ♪ ♪ My mama's gonna ♪ be so proud of me ♪ ♪ Then I'm gonna pop off ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ ♪ Waving bye-bye, Norma Jeane ♪ ♪ Turn the light on ♪ ♪ I can't sleep 'til my ♪ hair's all bleached ♪ ♪ Now all I need to ♪ keep me clean's ♪ ♪ Peroxide and false lashes ♪ and a house in Calabasas ♪ ♪ Whatever gets me ♪ there the fastest ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ You would be a lot ♪ sluttier if you were blonde ♪ ♪ You'll kiss somebody and ♪ they're gonna get mad at you ♪ ♪ Sticking out like a ♪ sore thumb at the bar ♪ ♪ If I bit the bullet, ♪ I'll take the shots ♪ ♪ Everybody's gonna ♪ ask how much it cost ♪ ♪ Not much when I ♪ got the hook-up ♪ ♪ My neighbor Gus can ♪ do it for pretty cheap ♪ ♪ He used to do bad, ♪ bad, bad drugs ♪ ♪ But now he's gotten clean ♪ ♪ My mama's gonna ♪ be so proud of me ♪ ♪ Then I'm gonna pop off ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ ♪ Waving bye-bye, Norma Jeane ♪ ♪ Turn the light on ♪ ♪ I can't sleep 'til my ♪ hair's all bleached ♪ ♪ Now all I need to ♪ keep me clean's ♪ ♪ Peroxide and false lashes ♪ and a house in Calabasas ♪ ♪ Whatever gets me ♪ there the fastest ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ ♪ I know it won't ♪ be embarrassing for too much longer ♪ ♪ If I am someone new, ooh ♪ ♪ Who's having more fun ♪ ♪ Waving bye-bye, Norma Jeane ♪ ♪ Turn the light on ♪ ♪ I can't sleep 'til my ♪ hair's all bleached ♪ ♪ Now all I need to ♪ keep me clean's ♪ ♪ Peroxide and false lashes ♪ and a house in Calabasas ♪ ♪ Whatever gets me ♪ there the fastest ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ ♪ Waving bye-bye, Norma Jeane ♪ ♪ Ooh, give me my ♪ house in Calabasas ♪ ♪ Whatever gets me ♪ there the fastest ♪ ♪ Like a wild one ♪ (upbeat music) (audience cheers) (drums bang) - I feel like your songs fit like beautifully in like a '90s rom-com.

Is that a compliment to you?

- Yeah, that's awesome.

- Or like, not even like a rom-com, but like "Jawbreaker."

♪ You'd be a lot happier ♪ if I were blonde ♪ It's 'cause I had older sisters and I just want to perpetually be like them.

They were dancing to the Spice Girls and I saw that as empowering.

I wasn't aware of sexism then.

- That makes sense, like the narratives that we just like plucked for our personas.

Part of the like Your Smith ethos, like the whole like wearing slacks and I don't have short hair anymore, but it kind of was like begotten from like roleplaying that, like, well, it.

Like this is how a dude moves through day-to-day activities as a musician.

So I'm just gonna do that then.

- And I did sort of the inverse of your character.

I did like the hyper-feminine version but like I kind of made it into a shtick.

♪ I'm grown up now ♪ ♪ I buy my groceries ♪ at the grocery store ♪ Sometimes I take that othering or that niche of being a female and I blow it out of proportion to show just how unnecessary that is.

And also a way to reclaim it, if that is like inescapable, how do you control it?

(playful music) - [Child] One, two, three, four.

♪ Ooh baby, one, two, three ♪ ♪ Got a polly in my pocket ♪ and she looks like me ♪ ♪ And my very best ♪ friend is my IUD ♪ ♪ And I know I'm picking ♪ one of them eventually ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, I ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, I ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, I ♪ ♪ Know I'm picking one ♪ of them eventually ♪ ♪ Silicon dress in 20-O-four ♪ ♪ She looked her best ♪ on my bedroom floor ♪ ♪ Didn't know what ♪ to use her for ♪ ♪ I liked it but i ♪ wanted something more ♪ ♪ Now I get it in ♪ ♪ When I wanna ♪ ♪ I do not ♪ ♪ Need the drama ♪ ♪ You're so fine ♪ ♪ Ariana ♪ ♪ Na na na ♪ ♪ Na na na na ♪ ♪ Ooh, baby one, two, three ♪ ♪ Got a polly in my pocket ♪ I wanted to explore lightness and darkness in ways that were maybe not obvious.

Like talking about something that is heavy in a light way or talking about something that is sad in a happy way.

♪ And she looks like me ♪ I mean, it's a pop song.

♪ Is my IUD ♪ It's not really an obvious approach to something that is a delicate subject, but I learned a lot in finding a way to discuss something from a different angle and have that still be as honest and authentic as it could be.

♪ If you want me to keep it ♪ ♪ Maybe you should carry it ♪ ♪ Want me to keep it ♪ ♪ Maybe you should carry it ♪ ♪ Want me to keep it ♪ ♪ Maybe you should, ♪ should know ♪ ♪ Polly in my pocket and she ♪ looks like, like, like, like ♪ ♪ Ooh, baby one, two, three ♪ ♪ Got a polly in my pocket ♪ and she looks like me ♪ ♪ And my very best ♪ friend is my IUD ♪ ♪ And I know I'm picking ♪ one of them eventually ♪ ♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na, na ♪ ♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na, na ♪ ♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na, na ♪ ♪ Know I'm picking one ♪ of them eventually ♪ (audience cheers) There seems to be a sexist nature to this music industry without an HR department if you can believe it.

- What?

- Yeah, just so much sexism from people who you love too.

You know, and that's kind of the most complicated part 'cause they're like, we gotta understand the reality of the sexism.

And so by understanding that, we also kind of have to perpetuate it.

- Try getting pregnant.

- Yeah, well that's the thing is like- - Oh my god, they like held a funeral for my career.

- Yeah, totally, and- - But you know what the saddest part was?

Is that like I was convinced that I couldn't do music and have a baby because of that.

Kind of like what you were saying, like, we also fall victim to the sexism that has dictated our entire careers thus far.

- [Raffaella] Yeah.

- I mean, I don't wake up every day going like I'm going to, you know, change the norms of the music industry.

I just wake up doing the to-do list I have to, which is never ending.

And in that, I'm like forging I guess a career and what that looks like.

(audience cheers) And I did tell my label, I was like, I'm gonna tour but I'm never gonna like sit in the back of a van and drive through Utah.

Like that's never gonna happen again.

- Yeah.

And when you're ready.

- I'm ready.

- [Raffaella] Really?

- Let's go.

- Really?

- Yeah.

- [Raffaella] Cool.

- Yeah.

This song is called "Wild Wild Woman."

(audience cheers) This song is written about the wild woman archetype from "Women Who Run with the Wolves."

Do you know that book?

- [Audience Member] Yes!

- Well it was all but crammed down my throat by my mother when I was in high school.

She wanted me to read it.

No, not for me, mom.

And one night at a show, somebody came up to the merch table trying to give me their copy and it was tattered and worn and pages were missing and they said that I should have it.

It has meant so much to them and they wanted to pass it on to me.

And I said, "I actually have my own copy from my mom."

And I went home and I found it.

It stayed with me on different shelves in different cities and different apartments with different roommates and different worries and all that.

It just sat on my shelf unopened.

And I opened it and there was a note from her that I had never seen before and it talked about the thread that runs through all the women in my family.

The thread from my grandmother down to her and down to me.

And the wild woman is the woman that lives inside of us that isn't scared to say no, who doesn't apologize, who dances naked when it's time to dance naked.

And when we don't listen to her, we don't bring her to the surface, we're losing the sight of our wild woman inside of us.

(audience cheers) Not to get heavy, but my grandmother passed away last month.

She was the best.

She was the best person ever.

You would've loved her.

I wanna say that this song is for her, but I'll absolutely lose it.

So I'm gonna say it's for you and it's for those of you who have found your wild woman and for those of you who have yet to.

♪ In the wind of the night, ♪ in the light by the bed ♪ ♪ I hear her voice calling ♪ me, calling me back ♪ ♪ I barely hear it, like ♪ my head's in a bath ♪ ♪ I hear a voice calling ♪ me, calling me back ♪ ♪ I tried to leave her ♪ hiding, all strung up ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her quiet ♪ ♪ But she's screaming ♪ inside of me ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her ♪ hiding, all shut up ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her quiet ♪ ♪ But she's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ In a way, I just know ♪ I've seen her before ♪ ♪ She carried me ♪ home in a '94 Civic ♪ ♪ Her face draws a line ♪ as a way to get home ♪ ♪ I hear her voice calling ♪ me, calling me back ♪ ♪ I tried to leave her ♪ hiding, all strung up ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her quiet ♪ ♪ But she's screaming ♪ inside of me ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her ♪ hiding, all shut up ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her quiet ♪ ♪ But she's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman, oh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Oh, oh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Don't go skimming ♪ your pockets ♪ ♪ Or hide what you wanted ♪ ♪ It's a waste of your ♪ goddamned design ♪ ♪ Don't keep fighting ♪ ♪ No use in running from ♪ what you're becoming ♪ ♪ Don't keep it inside ♪ ♪ You're a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ I tried to leave her ♪ hiding, all strung up ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her quiet ♪ ♪ But she's screaming ♪ inside of me ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her ♪ hiding, all shut up ♪ ♪ I tried to keep her ♪ quiet, what is she ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Oh, oh ♪ ♪ She's a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ I'm telling you ♪ ♪ You're a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Oh, no ♪ ♪ You're a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ I'm telling you ♪ ♪ You're a wild, wild woman ♪ ♪ Oh, oh ♪ ♪ You're a wild, wild woman ♪ Thank you guys so much.

(audience cheers) Thank you so much to Raffaella and thank you all for spending your evening with me.

My name is Your Smith.

(audience cheers) Have a fabulous evening, thank you.

(audience cheers) Thank you.

(audience cheers) - [Narrator] This program was produced with The Current and made possible by Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and these stage supporters.

(calm music)