Miwa Gemini // Ghost // Tiny Desk Video Contest 2023

When I was 12, my art teacher gave us an assignment to do a self-portrait. I was happy how my drawing was coming together when a boy from my class walked by my desk and said “That’s way prettier than you are.” I was taken a back, but silently took a mental note that I see myself prettier than I actually am. Two years ago, I had to draw a self portrait to make a show flyer and I asked my husband if my drawing was prettier than actual me. He looked a little perplexed and asked why. I told the story from my art class all those years ago and his response was, “What a jerk!” He is right, the boy was being a jerk! How often a careless comment impacts us however big or small? And it stung me that the boy probably doesn’t even remember making the comment. I was letting a ghost make a ghost out of me. This song came from the thought and my hope to not get trapped by a ghost again. Ghost Written by Miwa Nishio (Ocean & Moon ASCAP) Performed by Miwa Gemini Miwa: vocal & guitar Rebekah: vocal & shaker Recorded and Mixed by Miwa Filmed & edited by Miwa & Rebekah Now I know Nothing I've been waiting for nothing, empty words and pages, nothing Leaves of my book are turning and midway my breadth is stopping I see red, I fall in black, and I paint with nothing I'm lost between lines and shapes and colors and dreams and phases I'm stuck between forgiving you, forgiving me, forgiving everything that happened And I won't let ghost of you make ghost of me And I won't let ghost of you stop let me be I'm not afraid of, I'm not afraid of, I'm not afraid of you The hollow shapes and colors That you left me, I'm staring My rhythm and thoughts are losing colors For something that is missing It may return, just yarning one day, some day far away All my faded color I'm lost between lines and shapes and colors and dreams and phases I'm stuck between forgiving you, forgiving me, forgiving everything that happened And I won't let ghost of you make ghost of me And I won't let ghost of you stop let me be I'm not afraid of, I'm not afraid of, I'm not afraid of you You see it now? My nightmares I pin it to my hair, walk out your lair To the wind so fair, the moon in the air I swear, I won't care My shoes are tapping cobble stones My memories and shadows are long gone I torn off my jacket You see me now? I'm gone I'm lost between lines and shapes and colors and dreams and phases I'm stuck between forgiving you, forgiving me, forgiving everything that happened And I won't let ghost of you make ghost of me And I won't let ghost of you stop let me be