With mainstream music, everything seems to be all too predictable. However, when you bring in Canadian singer and songwriter Lights equipped with her own genre of electro music, the sky is the limit. Hailing from Ontario, Canada, this particular 23-year-old was under the US’s radar for quite some time.

In 2008, that all changed when she released a digital self-titled EP. If you shop at Old Navy, you might just be familiar with her hit “The Last Thing on Your Mind” that sold 12,000 copies all on its own.

Having come a long way in a two-year span, she has toured with the likes of Owl City, Keane and Copeland, has released a debut record entitled The Listening, as well as putting out a handful of music videos to keep fans satisfied. On top of being a dedicated songwriter, she is an avid fan of fantasy and the realm, considering her song “Lions!” was first and foremost inspired by playing the phenomenal game World of Warcraft. She has a couple tattoos to show her devotions, just in case you needed any more of a justification.

Her “Lights. Acoustic Tour” just came to an end with its six-day take starting at the east coast and ending on the west. Through the midst of busy schedules and preparations, I was able to catch up with Lights on the phone to find out how the tour has been treating her and just what we can expect out of her in the near future.

Hi, Lights!

Lights Poxleitner: Hey! What’s up?

Nothing too much. How are you? Where are you speaking from?

LP: I just got to San Francisco. I’m a little tired, it’s not exactly morning, but you know. (Laughs)

Any coffee yet?
LP: No! Surprisingly I haven’t had any yet.

That’s the next stop then for you, right?

LP: Exactly.

So to get things started, you’re currently on the Lights. Acoustic Tour. How has it been going so far knowing there are only two shows left? They’re all sold out as well.

LP: It’s been kind of amazing, you know since it’s a whole different dynamic and something I’m not used to at all. It’s a situation where the music is really raw and vulnerable. At first I wasn’t sure if I was going to be uncomfortable or not, but on stage it’s so comfortable and intimate with everybody. I’m able to stop the show to say anything that I want to, there is no one else in control, and that alone feels really great.

I’ve caught some footage online and the fans really seem to be enjoying the set a lot, singing along, and overall it’s looking really good for you. 

LP: It seems like it’s a real close vibe, almost as if it’s a living room set up and not a venue. Most of them are coffee shops and stuff, so that definitely makes it a good vibe.

What would you say has been the best part in comparison to an actual live set?

LP: One of the cool things, because of the situation where there are a bunch of songs I don’t normally do, is that I’m able to play some old ones. There are some old stuff when I first started, such as the song called “Casanova,” that I’ve been playing now. That was actually one of the first songs up on my MySpace years ago. It’s cool seeing people singing along to that because I never play that one, but it’s online somewhere so it’s kind of my only chance to do this. (Laughs).

That definitely shows longtime fans!

LP: Exactly.

What’s currently your favorite song to perform live?

LP: In particular? Oh, you know it’s tricky because it depends on how the habitat feels at night and if it’s a slower vibe crowd then “River” would be a really nice one since you lose yourself in it. If the crowd is a really upbeat one, “Second Go” is always fun because everyone pitches in at the chorus and it sounds really great. But one of my favorite ones that I’ve been playing is a brand new one called “Cactus in the Valley.” People seem to be really enjoying it, and it’s the only one that nobody knows so it’s only me, no one’s singing along and sometimes that’s nice.

I was actually going to ask you about that one. Do you plan on releasing it?

LP: No plans at this point, I mean it’s just a song I wrote and thought that this would be a good opportunity since I don’t have to do the things I normally would do.

Now for your song, “Second Go,” you only did the music video in one take. How was it like to do that video? How long did it take to get the paint off?

LP: Oh my goodness! I was standing in the shower for 30 hours. It was like latex paint, so not really water based and that made it pretty hard to get out. It was pretty much worth it though for the simple concept. An essentially simple shoot can be the best video, and that is one of my favorite videos that I’ve ever done. It was also the shortest one I’ve ever filmed. We were all done at seven and we got to go home, which never ever happens. It usually goes on until one in the morning. (Laughs) However, that means there was more pressure to this video, I only had one shot at it, and I got paint everywhere. So it was all or nothing basically.

So you’re going to be in L.A. tomorrow evening at the Hotel Café. It’s also going to be the last show of the Acoustic Tour. Do you plan on going out with a bang?

LP: It’s so strange how it feels like this only just began and now it’s ending. That’s kind of the beauty and the bitter sweetness of a short tour. It’s going to be a special way to end off the tour because my parents are going to be there and I never see them. (Laughs) My dad is a huge, huge part in all of my acoustic stuff. He taught me guitar from the beginning and that was when and how I started all of my music on the guitar. Now I’m noticing on the course of this tour all the resemblances I have from my dad. You know, me standing there drinking a glass of wine and pounding my foot up and down on the ground while I strum hard on my acoustic guitar. That’s exactly what my dad did when I was growing up, and I’m noticing all these similarities that I never noticed before in me. So it’s just going to be really cool for him to come and see that, besides the fact that I really love playing in L.A. Then two days after that I’m going to the Philippines with World Vision. It’s quite a way to go, for sure.

Definitely! I’ve also heard you’ve worked on a couple songs with Bring Me the Horizon recently, right?

LP: Yeah! I’ve been featured vocally on two of their songs for the new record.

How was it like working with them and what can you tell me about the songs without revealing too much?

LP: Well, they’re all awesome guys. We’d crossed paths probably last year. Not this past tour, but the one I did before. It was some blizzard-y day and we were all stranded at the same hotel, and so we all just hung out that night. That is when I first met them, and that is officially how we know each other today. You don’t know when those experiences will lead to something cool. So we kind of kept in touch. It was a really last minute decision, but then they asked me if I wanted to be on their new record because I happened to be in L.A. the one day they were there during the recording process. So I was like, “Yeah! Totally!” It’s cool because it’s a new thing for them. They have never had a female vocalist in their music before. The music isn’t thoroughly melodic, I mean there is melody but it’s quite heavy at the same time. That is what I love, the cool contrasting in music. Just them having a vocalist like me collaborating with them, it’s really neat sounding and I think people are going to like it.

You’re heading to the Leeds and Reading Festival real soon. Have you participated in this festival before?

LP: No! I’ve done festivals in the U.K. before, but this is my first Reading and Leeds Festival and I’m actually really, really excited to play another festival in the U.K.

Can you tell me about the last book you read that you would recommend?

LP: Oh, let’s see. I always feel like I’m in and out of books, but right now I’m actually headlong into the Bleach series, which is a Manga series. It’s the anime that is in between a comic and a novel. It’s really entertaining and the art is amazing, and at the same time it allows the imagination to wander. It’s a great read, each one is really quick and you just want to read the next one.

So it definitely keeps you hooked!

LP: Totally! (Laughs) I am.

How about film-wise? What is the last movie you’ve seen that you really enjoyed?

LP: On the plane today, I actually watched Iron Man 2 and I keep forgetting how charming Robert Downey Jr. is. From a really geeky point of view, I also watched Clash of the Titans and I really loved it. I just love the whole Greek Gods thing; it’s such a Wonder Woman type.

Any other plans for the rest of 2010?

LP: Well, we will be in the Philippines within the next couple of days, working over there. Then I’m going to the U.K. for a week, and then there are dates with Hedley in September, and I will also be doing a college tour in Ontario and a couple dates in the states. There will also be another major tour this fall, so it will probably be October-November, and then a Headliner after that.

I wish you the best of luck and hope everything will go smoothly for you.

LP: Thank you so much, it was so nice talking to you.

IAmLights.com