(woman) "Prairie Musicians" is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the citizens of Minnesota, and by the members of Prairie Public.

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[ukulele plays in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I didn't mean to leave you ♪ ♪ I really thought we had a chance ♪ ♪ I'm sorry I have found another one ♪ ♪ But fate is rolling the dice ♪ ♪ So don't be angry, ♪ ♪ Don't be mad ♪ ♪ Fate is playing her game again ♪ ♪ Yeah, she's playing her hand ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I didn't mean to hurt you ♪ ♪ I thought we wouldn't say goodbye ♪ ♪ I'm sorry I have loved you ♪ ♪ But fate is rolling the dice ♪ ♪ So don't be angry, ♪ ♪ Don't be mad ♪ ♪ Fate is playing her game again ♪ ♪ Yeah, she's playing her hand ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ So don't be angry, ♪ ♪ Don't be mad ♪ ♪ Fate is playing her game again ♪ ♪ Yeah, she's playing her hand ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hello, I'm Rachel Meyer, I'm a musician from Alexandria, Minnesota.

I go to school at Minnesota State University, Moorhead studying entertainment industries and technology.

When I sit down to write music, I try to find inspiration from my own life.

I even pull inspiration from conversations with friends or even just exaggerating a concept or idea.

I'm typically sitting down with either my ukulele or my piano to kind of get the base of what is the concept, what kind of sound am I going to take this up first.

Then I go in to record my music, and that's when it really takes its bigger, broader shape of layering-- harmonies as well as instruments.

♪ I fled home, didn't want the memories, ♪ ♪ Of endless nights, under neon lights.

♪ So my song "Neon Lights" is the title track to my EP.

It's actually the last song I wrote for my EP, and it really captures everything that the EP is about.

It's about heartbreak and moving on and finding love, yet there's also those moments of after a heartbreak, you're lonely when you're trying to find another person in your life.

[playing in bright rhythm in a minor key] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ First heartbreak, never felt a pain like this.

♪ ♪ Closed off and scared to talk to our friends again.

♪ ♪ I fled home, didn't want the memories, ♪ ♪ Of endless nights, under neon lights.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I was scared to move on, didn't know how to love again.

♪ ♪ You said that I gotta get out, ♪ ♪ It wouldn't be hard for me anyway.

♪ ♪ And I talked to some guys, but none of them were just quite right.

♪ ♪ First heartbreak, never felt a pain like this.

♪ ♪ Closed off and scared to talk to our friends again.

♪ ♪ I fled home, didn't want the memories, ♪ ♪ Of endless nights under neon lights.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Stepped into the dating game, met a couple strangers.

♪ ♪ Fell in and out of love, made some choices I might regret.

♪ ♪ I'm wanting to settle, but I come home to neon lights.

♪ ♪ Sat alone, wrote another song about a break up.

♪ ♪ Sat alone, wrote another song about moving on.

♪ ♪ Sat alone, wrote another song about finding love.

♪ ♪ Sat alone, wrote another song about being lonely.

♪ ♪ First heartbreak, never felt a pain like this.

♪ ♪ Closed off and scared to talk to our friends again.

♪ ♪ I fled home, didn't want the memories, ♪ ♪ Of endless nights under neon lights.

♪ ♪ And at the end of the day, ♪ ♪ I'm still lonely, ♪ ♪ And I'm seeing everything in neon lights.

♪ [playing in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ The rose you gave me ♪ ♪ Sits wilting on my desk.

♪ ♪ It's been a month ♪ ♪ The road to get here, ♪ ♪ Well it's been a long one, ♪ ♪ But we're happy ♪ ♪ We started as best friends ♪ ♪ Stayed like that for quite some time ♪ ♪ Then suddenly ♪ ♪ Our chemistry ♪ ♪ Is just a little more than that, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ A little more than that, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ More than that ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I shut you down once, ♪ ♪ Or maybe it was twice, ♪ ♪ I needed time ♪ ♪ It happened suddenly, ♪ ♪ I still don't understand, ♪ ♪ But I'm happy ♪ ♪ We started as best friends ♪ ♪ Stayed like that for quite some time ♪ ♪ Then suddenly, ♪ ♪ Our chemistry ♪ ♪ Is just a little more than that, ♪ ♪ More than that, ♪ ♪ More than that.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [playing in bright rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ I hesitated for a while, ♪ ♪ About everything, how we would do, ♪ ♪ How you would do.

♪ ♪ Ended almost too quickly, ♪ ♪ I gave you a chance on things, but we had a kiss, ♪ ♪ I decided to stick.

♪ ♪ It wasn't long before ♪ ♪ I realized I might not be so happy.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm better off without you, ♪ ♪ I'm happier now ♪ ♪ I didn't realize how much I needed to love myself.

♪ ♪ I'm better off without you, ♪ ♪ I'm finding myself ♪ ♪ And I just cut my hair the way you didn't want me to.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It thought it was our timing, ♪ ♪ I had to move so soon, not sure if you would like ♪ ♪ Three hour phone calls at night.

♪ ♪ Could it get better when I move up there soon?

♪ ♪ But I couldn't fake the interest, ♪ ♪ I had to make a call.

♪ ♪ I wasn't sad for very long, ♪ ♪ I think I just felt bad 'cause in my head ♪ ♪ We ended weeks ago.

♪ ♪ I'm better off without you, ♪ ♪ I'm happier now.

♪ ♪ I didn't realize how much I needed to love myself.

♪ ♪ I'm better off without you, ♪ ♪ I'm finding myself.

♪ ♪ And I just cut my hair the way you didn't want me to.

♪ ♪ I'm better off without you.

♪ ♪ ♪ [playing in moderate rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't wanna be some girl you get to kiss.

♪ ♪ Don't wanna be some girl you spend your nights with.

♪ ♪ Don't wanna be some girl ♪ ♪ Who's filling all your time.

♪ ♪ I wanna be your girl, yours.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't wanna be another girl who's on your list.

♪ ♪ Don't wanna be another girl who disappears.

♪ ♪ Don't wanna be another girl who's laying in your bed.

♪ ♪ I wanna be your girl, yours.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I wanna be the girl who's on your mind.

♪ ♪ I wanna be the girl that you're talking about ♪ Yeah.

♪ I wanna be the girl you bring home to your family.

♪ ♪ I wanna be the girl, ♪ ♪ I wanna be your girl, yours.

♪ ♪ I wanna be your girl, ♪ ♪ Yours.

♪ [playing in fast-paced rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ It's 4 a.m. the night after I said ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ But there's a catch, ♪ ♪ It's been years that we've been saying it ♪ ♪ We've loved and lost so many times already ♪ ♪ Confessed our feelings ♪ ♪ Several times over years.

♪ ♪ But this time feels different to me.

♪ ♪ This time feels... ♪ ♪ Ooo oo oo oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo oo oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Three years it's been since we first felt ♪ ♪ Some sort of feeling ♪ ♪ We let months pass and we fell for other people ♪ ♪ We even claimed that we found our forever love.

♪ ♪ But our hearts knew that love was only temporary.

♪ ♪ We've loved and lost so many times already, ♪ ♪ Confessed our feelings several times over years, ♪ ♪ But this time feels different to me.

♪ ♪ This time feels... ♪ ♪ Ooo oo oo oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Ooo oo oo oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's 5 a.m., the sun sees the same old story, ♪ ♪ Two fools in love too scared to lose forever.

♪ ♪ Will they risk it all to feel the love that's dwelling?

♪ ♪ Will they confess their honest love for each other?

♪ ♪ 'Cause this time feels different, oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ This time feels ♪ ♪ Some type of way.

♪ ♪ This time feels ♪ ♪ Indescribable ♪ ♪ This time feels like love.

♪ [playing in bright rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Another lonely night and you're out with your friends.

♪ ♪ You left me here all day and wond'ring ♪ ♪ If it's worth my time to stay with you ♪ ♪ And have these lonely nights.

♪ ♪ Then I beg you ♪ ♪ For an hour of your time.

♪ ♪ Don't want these lonely nights.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Another lonely night and you've just stood me up again.

♪ ♪ I respect your time but I want to feel wanted ♪ ♪ By you.

♪ ♪ But I have a lonely night, ♪ ♪ And I beg you ♪ ♪ For an hour of your time.

♪ ♪ Don't want this lonely night!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Another lonely night, another lonely Saturday.

♪ ♪ You left me here all day, and hoping that there might be ♪ ♪ Something tonight ♪ ♪ But I have a lonely night ♪ ♪ And I begged you ♪ ♪ For an hour of your time.

♪ ♪ Don't want these lonely nights!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [playing in bright rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ My aunt told me the other day ♪ ♪ That it takes guts to perform on stage, ♪ ♪ But guess what?

That's my career.

♪ ♪ My aunt asked me the other day, ♪ ♪ What's your plan the rest of your life?

♪ ♪ I really don't know.

♪ ♪ My aunt asked me the other day ♪ ♪ If I made up the song I sang ♪ ♪ Yeah, I composed it.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician ♪ ♪ Where every conversation feels the same.

♪ ♪ My family doesn't understand the path I'm taking, ♪ ♪ And at times I don't understand myself.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ My aunt told me the other day ♪ ♪ That I'll need luck to be a musician.

♪ ♪ I know what I'm getting myself into.

♪ ♪ My aunt asked me the other day ♪ ♪ How much money I'll make someday.

♪ ♪ I really don't know.

♪ ♪ My aunt asked me the other day ♪ ♪ What job I'll get out of college.

♪ ♪ I'm thinking self-employment.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician.

♪ ♪ Where every conversation feels the same.

♪ ♪ My family doesn't understand the path I'm taking, ♪ ♪ And at times I don't understand myself.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yes, there's days I doubt myself.

♪ ♪ Yes, there's days I try to find plan B.

♪ ♪ But there's days I feel like ♪ ♪ I'm on top of the world.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician ♪ ♪ Where every conversation feels the same.

♪ ♪ My family doesn't understand the path I'm taking.

♪ ♪ And at times I don't understand myself.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles of a musician.

♪ ♪ These are the chronicles ♪ ♪ Of a musician.

♪ My song "Indescribable Feelings" is one I wrote when I was first committing to being a musician and wanting to perform, and it's fun to perform that now and just kind of see that I'm on the journey, but I wasn't quite sure where that was going, but I'm happy to be on that path of being a musician now.

[playing in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't ask me, ♪ ♪ I can't explain.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't ask me, ♪ ♪ I don't understand myself.

♪ ♪ Oh these indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings ♪ ♪ No doctors or scientists can explain them, ♪ ♪ These indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings.

♪ ♪ I know I'll do great things with them.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Someday I'll be in New York or LA ♪ ♪ Or London.

♪ ♪ You'll see me standing on the stage ♪ ♪ In front of thousands ♪ ♪ Of people.

♪ ♪ And I'll be pouring my soul out ♪ ♪ While singing my heart out ♪ ♪ About these indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings.

♪ ♪ No doctors or scientists can explain them, ♪ ♪ These indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings.

♪ ♪ I know I'll do great things with them.

♪ ♪ There's others out there ♪ ♪ That are just like me, ♪ ♪ Feelin' lost, feelin' out of place, ♪ ♪ Not sure what it is.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'll go find them, ♪ ♪ I'll trek the earth ♪ ♪ Till I've gathered all who have these ♪ ♪ Indescribable feelings.

♪ ♪ No doctors or scientists can explain them, ♪ ♪ These indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings.

♪ ♪ I know I'll do great things with them, ♪ ♪ Oh these indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings, ♪ ♪ I know I'll do great things with my indescribable ♪ ♪ Feelings, ♪ [finger-picking in bright rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, ♪ ♪ Don't you dare break down yourself; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You've worked so hard to get here.

♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, ♪ ♪ You deserve the whole world, just let yourself, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Let it all come rushing in.

♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ You've built great big walls around your heart; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ So you don't get hurt again.

♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Smile in your heart, ♪ ♪ Full of joy, you radiate only light; ♪ ♪ You don't show the dark days.

♪ ♪ Passion and fire, you're not afraid ♪ ♪ To pave your own path; ♪ ♪ You jump into the unknown.

♪ ♪ Passion and fire, you walk with purpose ♪ ♪ Showing only confidence; ♪ ♪ Not to show any struggle inside.

♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, ♪ ♪ Beautiful ♪ ♪ Soul.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, don't you dare break down yourself; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful is happiness ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul, you deserve the whole world ♪ ♪ Just let yourself; ♪ ♪ Let it all come rushing in.

♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Beautiful soul; ♪ ♪ Beautiful ♪ ♪ Soul.

♪ ♪ Beautiful ♪ ♪ Soul.

♪ (woman) "Prairie Musicians" is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the citizens of Minnesota, and by the members of Prairie Public.