Clapping, stomping, dancing, and singing. Jillian Rae put on a memorable performance at The Cabin Friday night.

This was Jillian’s first appearance at UW-Eau Claire, bringing some serious passion to the stage. Not only did she sing, but also played violin and  guitar.

Rae is one of a five-piece band from Minneapolis, Minn. For this venue, she was accompanied only by Eric Martin. This in turn created an atmosphere favorable for the audience.

The Cabin’s warm fireplaces and warm cups of coffee were a stark contrast to the cold and snowy conditions outside on Friday night.

An audience member and Cabin Co-Chair, Rachael Nichols, was in attendance Friday night. The Cabin Committee is part of the University Activities Commission, which is funded by our Student Senate.

“She has a great voice and is very personable,” Nichols said. “Also, the music is great and fits to the venue really well.”

Many types of songs were performed by Rae and Martin. These include original pieces, newly written pieces and iconic songs such as “Jolene,” originally performed by Dolly Parton.

“For these batch of tunes, definitely love and that area of life where either it’s the good or the bad, or the ugly,” Rae said of the inspiration for her lyrics and music.

Many of her songs are based on love and heartbreak.  Songs such as “Don’t Want You Back” and “Heart in a Jar” inspired her first album, Heartbeat.

Frequently, Rae performs around the Twin Cities area. She has attended many of Minnesota’s music festivals such as the Basilica Block Party and the Stonearch Bridge Festival. She is most commonly seen at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis.

“In general, if somebody leaves feeling good or better about their overall sense of self or their day, I feel happy,” she said. “I just want everything to be relatable and feel good.”