Lights Poxleitner-Bokan (born Valerie Anne Poxleitner; April 11, 1987), known
mononymously
A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
as Lights (previously stylized as LIGHTS), is a Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. She is known for singles "
Drive My Soul
"Drive My Soul" is the debut single by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights from her debut self-titled EP. It was released as the EP's lead single on March 11, 2008, in Canada and July 24, 2008, in the United States. The song reached number 18 on th ...
", "
February Air
"February Air" is the second single by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights from her debut self-titled EP. It was released on December 9, 2008 in Canada. The song reached #90 on the Canadian Hot 100 Billboard magazine
''Billboard'' (stylized ...
", "
Ice
Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...
", "
Second Go
"Second Go" is the third single from Canadian singer-songwriter Lights debut album '' The Listening''. It was released on February 16, 2010 in the United States.
Music video
The video follows Lights
Light is an electromagnetic radiation, part of ...
", "
Toes
Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being '' digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being '' pl ...
", "
My Boots
"My Boots" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights. It was released on October 11, 2010 digitally in Canada, and was released on October 19, 2010 in the US and the UK. It is a song about Lights' love of winter. "My Boots" was supposed t ...
" and "
Up We Go
"Up We Go" is a song recorded by Canadian electropop artist Lights for her third studio album, '' Little Machines'' (2014). Written by Lights in collaboration with songwriter-producer Tawgs Salter, the song was released July 22, 2014 via LIGHTS Mu ...
", which have charted within the top ninety on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
. Her work has earned multiple
Juno Awards
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
and
Canadian Independent Music Awards The Canadian Independent Music Awards, also known as the Independent Music Awards or Indies, are national awards presented annually to musicians to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. They were first inaug ...
.
Her debut EP ''
Lights
Light is an electromagnetic radiation, part of which stimulates the sense of vision.
Light or Lights may also refer to:
Illumination
* Light bulb
* Traffic light
Arts and entertainment Music
* Lights (musician) (born 1987), Canadian singer-son ...
'' was released in July 2008 and achieved commercial success which enabled the release of her first full-length album, ''
The Listening'', on September 22, 2009. Her second album, ''
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
'', was released on October 4, 2011.
Both albums have been certified gold in Canada. Lights released her third studio album, ''
Little Machines'', on September 19, 2014, which debuted on the
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocea ...
at number five. Her fourth album, ''
Skin&Earth,'' which featured "
Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
*Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
", was released in September 2017, accompanied by a graphic novel of the same name. Lights's fifth studio album, ''
PEP
Pep is energy or high spirits; it may refer to:
* Pep band, an ensemble of instrumentalists
* Pep, the dog in ''Putt-Putt'' (series)
* Neilson Dairy confectionery brand
* Pep, New Mexico
* Pep, Texas
* Pep Cereal, by Kellogg
* Pep Comics, by MLJ ...
'', was released on April 1, 2022. Her albums won the
Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year The Juno Award for "Pop Album of the Year" has been awarded since 1999, as recognition each year for the best pop album in Canada.
The category was first named as Best Pop Album but it changed to Best Pop/Adult Album in 2000, the following year it r ...
in 2015 and 2018.
Lights has collaborated with artists including
Arkells
Arkells is a Canadian rock band, formed in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2006, they signed with Dine Alone Records, and have since signed with Universal Records Canada and Last Gang Records. They are managed by Last Gang Management. They have released s ...
,
The Beaches
The Beaches (also known as "The Beach") is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is so named because of its four beaches situated on Lake Ontario. It is located east of downtown within the "Old" City of Toronto. The approximate boundar ...
,
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
,
Deadmau5
Joel Thomas Zimmerman (born January 5, 1981), known professionally as Deadmau5 (stylized as deadmau5; pronounced "dead-mouse"), is a Canadian electronic music producer and DJ. He mainly produces progressive house music, though he also produces ...
,
Felix Cartal
Taelor Deitcher (born April 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Felix Cartal, is a Canadian DJ and electronic dance music producer. He released his first EP ''Skeleton'' in 2009 once he signed with Dim Mak Records. Since then he has gone on ...
,
Dear Rouge
Dear Rouge are a Juno award-winning Vancouver-based alternative rock band formed in 2012 by Drew and Danielle McTaggart.
History Formation and early years
Drew and Danielle McTaggart were both touring musicians under separate projects. They met ...
,
i_o,
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronic music project created in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. It is one of several projects by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young, who created the project while experimenting with music in his pa ...
and
Sleepy Tom
Cam Tatham, known by his stage name Sleepy Tom, is a Canadian DJ and music producer. He released his first EP ''The Currency'' on Fool's Gold Records in March 2013. The music video for lead track, "The Currency", debuted on ''Rolling Stone's'' we ...
. Lights signed with
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen LLC is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by 300 Elektra Entertainment. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida in 1996, is now based in New York City.
History
John Janick conceived of the lab ...
in 2019 and released ''Skin&Earth Acoustic'', which included three new songs.
Early life
Lights was born as Valerie Anne Poxleitner in
Timmins
Timmins ( ) is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada, located on the Mattagami River. The city is the fourth-largest city in the Northeastern Ontario region with a population of 41,145 (2021). The city's economy is based on natural resource ext ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, to missionary parents Virginia and Eric Poxleitner on April 11, 1987.
She has one older sister, Jess. She spent her childhood in many parts of the world, including the Philippines, Jamaica, and Hanover Ontario.
She was home-schooled by her mother, and was also taught guitar by her father. Lights produced her first song "Saturn's Rings" with an eight-track recorder she purchased with inheritance money from her grandmother in 2001.
She moved to
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
at the age of 18 and changed her name to Lights, a nickname derived from her surname.
Although there was already a signed band named "Lights", officially changing her name allowed her to use it despite the prior claim.
Music career
2006–2007: Musical beginnings
In high school, Lights played the guitar and sang in the metal band Shovel Face and accumulated a following through her
Myspace page. Lights began her music career writing for
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is the largest music publisher in the world, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021. US-based, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is itself owned ...
[ Search for Lights as performer.] and composed music for the
CTV television series ''
Instant Star
''Instant Star'' is a Canadian musical comedy-drama television series which aired from 15 September 2004 to 26 June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as teenage singing competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experi ...
''. She and
Luke McMaster
Luke McMaster (born March 22, 1976) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer.
McMaster experienced early success as half of the music duo McMaster & James originating from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Named after McMaster a ...
are credited with composing "Perfect", sung by
Alexz Johnson
Alexzandra Spencer Johnson (born November 4, 1986) is a Canadian musician, actress, and philanthropist. Her debut album ''Voodoo'' was independently released with her brother Brendan Johnson in 2010, followed by the demo release of ''The Basem ...
in the role of Jude Harrison. In 2007, she contracted with
Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi (born June 9, 1967) is a British-born Persian-Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician, producer and former CBC personality. From 1990 to 2000, he was a vocalist and drummer in the Thornhill-based folk-pop band Moxy Früvous. In ...
, who acted as her manager until late 2014.
2008–2009: Lights and ''The Listening''
Starting in early 2008, Lights toured cities in the
Great Lakes region
The Great Lakes region of North America is a binational Canadian–American region that includes portions of the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin along with the Canadian p ...
, in both Canada and the United States. Around the same time, her song "
Drive My Soul
"Drive My Soul" is the debut single by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights from her debut self-titled EP. It was released as the EP's lead single on March 11, 2008, in Canada and July 24, 2008, in the United States. The song reached number 18 on th ...
" rose to 18 on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
chart. In late 2008, she toured the United States.
In August 2008, Lights signed a record deal with Toronto-based label
Underground Operations
Underground Operations was an independent punk rock record label based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1995, the label was originally based in Ajax, Ontario.
Operated by Mark Spicoluk, former Closet Monster member and former bass ...
and an American partnership deal with Warner Bros. and
Doghouse Records
Doghouse Records is an American record label currently based in New York City.Alan O'Connor, ''Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy''. Lexington Books, 2008, p. 41Google Books/ref> The company was founded by Dirk Hemsath in late 1987 ...
.
Her
self-titled EP was released on iTunes in July and on vinyl in September. Her second single, "
February Air
"February Air" is the second single by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights from her debut self-titled EP. It was released on December 9, 2008 in Canada. The song reached #90 on the Canadian Hot 100 Billboard magazine
''Billboard'' (stylized ...
", which had been used in a commercial for
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing and accessories retailing company owned by multinational corporation Gap Inc. It has corporate operations in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The largest of the Old Navy stores are its ...
in early 2008,
was released in December and sold about 12,000 copies.
She released a third single, "
Ice
Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...
", accompanied by a homemade video in March 2009.
The commercial success of the EP and its singles enabled Lights to release the full-length album ''
The Listening'' in September 2009. She promoted the album with the August 10 release of a music video for "
Saviour",
the first single from the album. The single was released on September 22 in Canada. Its US release was held until October 6 while she left Underground Operations for her own record label, Lights Music Inc.
Lights re-recorded "Ice" for the new album and released a new video on November 10. According to Lights, the artwork for the album cover was inspired by ''
Watchmen
''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...
'', ''
28 Days Later
''28 Days Later'' is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. It stars Cillian Murphy as a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to discover the accidental release of a highly contagi ...
'', and ''
Sailor Moon
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from 1991 to 1997; the 52 individual chapters were published in 18 volumes. The seri ...
''.
Lights won the 2009
Juno Award
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
for
New Artist of the Year.
''The Listening'' sold more than 80,000 copies and was certified gold in Canada. In September 2009, Lights toured with the British band
Keane on their Canadian/Pacific Northwest tour.
During this period, Lights also contributed vocals to
Ten Second Epic
Ten Second Epic was a Canadian five-piece alternative rock band from Edmonton. The band formed in 2002 consisting of Andrew Usenik (vocals), Daniel Carriere (guitar), Craig Spelliscy (guitar), Sandy MacKinnon (bass) and Patrick Birtles (drums). ...
's song "Every Day" and appeared in its music video. The song appeared on the
''Big Shiny Tunes 14'' compilation album and the music video was nominated for Best Independent Music Video at the 2010
MuchMusic Video Awards
The iHeartRadio MMVAs were an annual awards show broadcast on Much to honour the year's best music videos that was last held in 2018.
Originally debuting in 1990 as the Canadian Music Video Awards, the awards were renamed in 1995 to the MuchMu ...
. She is also featured on the soundtrack (songs "Ben" and "Climbing") for the 2008 Canadian film ''
One Week One Week may refer to:
* One Week (1920 film), ''One Week'' (1920 film), a short film starring and co-directed by Buster Keaton
* One Week (2008 film), ''One Week'' (2008 film), a Canadian feature film directed by Michael McGowan
* One Week (song), ...
'', starring
Joshua Jackson
Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is a Canadian-American actor. He is known for his starring role as Charlie Conway in '' Mighty Ducks'', as Pacey Witter in The WB teen drama series ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), Peter Bishop in the ...
.
She was a guest vocalist on the album ''A Shipwreck in the Sand'', released in 2009 by post-hardcore band
Silverstein from
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington is a city in the Regional Municipality of Halton at the northwestern end of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Canada. Along with Milton to the north, it forms the western end of the Greater Toronto Area and is also part of the Hamilton met ...
.
2010–2013: ''Acoustic'' EP, ''Siberia'', ''Siberia Acoustic'', and tour
![LIGHTS II](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/LIGHTS_II.jpg)
From January to May, she toured with contemporary synthpop artist
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronic music project created in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. It is one of several projects by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young, who created the project while experimenting with music in his pa ...
in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She was featured in "The Yacht Club" on Owl City's 2011 album ''
All Things Bright and Beautiful
"All Things Bright and Beautiful" is an Anglican hymn, also sung in many other Christian denominations. The words are by Cecil Frances Alexander and were first published in her ''Hymns for Little Children'' of 1848.
The hymn is commonly sung ...
'', and appeared in their music video for "
Deer in the Headlights
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindee ...
". Lights also appeared as a special guest for pop-rock band
Hedley's The Show Must Go... On The Road Tour, and with These Kids Wear Crowns.
Lights released an acoustic EP titled ''
Acoustic'' in July 2010, with a special performance at the
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo, UW, or Waterloo) is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is one of three cities in the Regional Municipality ...
, where she had received most of her inspiration for the album. Later that month, she began a six-date US tour. In September, she joined Hedley for the eight-show Ontario leg of their Canadian tour.
Lights appeared as a guest vocalist on the songs "Crucify Me" and "Don't Go" of
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
's 2010 album ''
'' and on
The Secret Handshake
Luis Alberto Dubuc Jr. (born January 28, 1985) is an American DJ, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and former drummer from Dallas, Texas. He was a member of The Secret Handshake and Of Legends. He is currently the man behind Myster ...
's song "Used to be Sweet".
![LIGHTS - Glasgow King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, May 20th 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/LIGHTS_-_Glasgow_King_Tut%27s_Wah_Wah_Hut%2C_May_20th_2010.jpg)
In October 2010, Lights released the digital single "
My Boots
"My Boots" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights. It was released on October 11, 2010 digitally in Canada, and was released on October 19, 2010 in the US and the UK. It is a song about Lights' love of winter. "My Boots" was supposed t ...
" and began a concert tour with
Jeremy Fisher
Jeremy Fisher (born Jeremy Binns; December 15, 1976) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Fisher is based in Ottawa, Ontario, and was previously based on Vancouver Island, B.C., Montreal, Quebec, and in Seattle, Washington, US. Fisher's work is hea ...
. At a November show in Toronto, she was presented a trophy by the
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It a ...
for ''The Listening''s gold certification, having then achieved 40,000 units in sales.
At the June 2011 Utopia Music Festival, Lights performed three new songs, "
Toes
Toes are the digits (fingers) of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being '' digitigrade''. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being '' pl ...
", "Where the Fence is Low", and "Everybody Breaks a Glass". The first of these songs was released as a single in August, to promote her second studio album,
''Siberia''. She had signed with
Last Gang Records
Last Gang Records is a record label formed by Canadian music industry lawyer Chris Taylor (businessman), Chris Taylor and concert promoter Donald K. Tarlton in the Fall of 2003 at the Pop Montreal Music Festival. Last Gang was nominated as Indepe ...
, and concerns by label executives about her shift in style to a more gritty sound delayed the album's release to October 4 in Canada and the US, and later that month in Australia. ''Siberia'' received positive reviews and was nominated for a
Juno Award
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
for Best Pop Album of the Year.
It debuted at No. 3 on the
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocea ...
, and sold more than 10,000 units in its first week. Sales surpassed 40,000 and the album was certified gold in Canada on April 27, 2012. Lights said in an interview that her favorite song on ''Siberia'' was "Flux and Flow".
In March 2013, Lights released an acoustic version of "Cactus in the Valley", featuring Owl City, as a single in the UK.
''
Siberia Acoustic
''Siberia Acoustic'' (alternately stylized as ''Siberia (Acoustic)'') is the second acoustic album recorded by Canadian electropop artist Lights, featuring acoustic reworkings of songs off her second studio album, ''Siberia'' (2011). It was rel ...
'' was released in April 2013, and reached No. 7 in Canada. She toured North America in support of the album, with
Dear Rouge
Dear Rouge are a Juno award-winning Vancouver-based alternative rock band formed in 2012 by Drew and Danielle McTaggart.
History Formation and early years
Drew and Danielle McTaggart were both touring musicians under separate projects. They met ...
opening some dates and
Lianne La Havas
Lianne Charlotte Barnes (born 23 August 1989), known professionally as Lianne La Havas ( ), is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her career began after being introduced to various musicians, including singer Paloma Faith, for wh ...
opening others.
2014–2016: ''Little Machines''
![LIGHTS IMG 6799 (15999651243)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/LIGHTS_IMG_6799_%2815999651243%29.jpg)
In July 2014, Lights' third studio album, ''
Little Machines'', became available for pre-order on iTunes with its lead single, "
Up We Go
"Up We Go" is a song recorded by Canadian electropop artist Lights for her third studio album, '' Little Machines'' (2014). Written by Lights in collaboration with songwriter-producer Tawgs Salter, the song was released July 22, 2014 via LIGHTS Mu ...
", available to download.
The album was released on September 23 in the US and Canada. It debuted at No. 5 in Canada. "
Running with the Boys
"Running with the Boys" is a song recorded by Canadian electropop artist Lights for her third studio album, ''Little Machines'' (2014). It was co-written by Lights and the album's producer, Drew Pearson. The song was first released September 9, ...
" received radio play in early 2015 as the second official single, while "Portal" and "Same Sea" received promotional releases.
In September 2014, the music video for "Up We Go" was released. It was filmed all in one take and received more than 3.5 million views on YouTube by May 2020. In October, Lights parted ways with her long-time manager Ghomeshi.
Lights continued touring extensively in support of ''Little Machines'' into 2015. On April 8, 2016, she released the acoustic EP ''Midnight Machines'', which included acoustic versions of six songs from ''Little Machines'' and two new songs: "Follow You Down" and "Head Cold". Lights and her band were featured in the 2016 video game ''LOUD on Planet X'', as character avatars and with their songs "Same Sea" and "Up We Go".
2017–present: ''Skin & Earth,'' ''Dead End, and Pep''
In April 2017, Lights announced the forthcoming release of her fourth studio album, ''
Skin & Earth
''Skin & Earth'' (stylized as ''Skin&Earth'') is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights. The album was released on September 22, 2017 through Warner Bros. Records. The album was preceded by release of her single "Giants", a ...
''.
The album was released with a
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
series drawn and written by Lights, one song per issue, starting in July. New music was released with each edition on a monthly basis until the album was released in full.
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots (stylized in Letter case, all lowercase or as twenty øne piløts) are an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris ...
drummer
Josh Dun
Joshua William Dun (born June 18, 1988) is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer of the musical duo Twenty One Pilots, alongside Tyler Joseph, and also contributes backing vocals and trumpet to the band's work. He has collabora ...
collaborated on the album tracks "Savage" and "Almost Had Me". The song "
Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
*Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
" and its accompanying music video were released on June 23. The song peaked at No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Top 40 chart. She later released versions of the song in
French,
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
,
Tagalog and
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
. On July 14, Lights released the promotional single "Skydiving". The album was made available for pre-orders on August 11 and was released on September 22, 2017. Lights released the song "Savage" on August 11, followed by "New Fears" on September 15, 2017. The album track "Fight Club" is featured in the video game ''
Just Dance 2018
''Just Dance 2018'' is a 2017 dance rhythm game developed and published by Ubisoft. It was unveiled on June 12, 2017, during its E3 press conference as the ninth main installment of the series, and was released in October 2017 for PlayStation 3, ...
''.
In January 2018, Lights launched the "We Were Here Tour" with
Chase Atlantic
Chase Atlantic (occasionally stylized as CHASE ATLANTIC) is an Australian alternative R&B band and production trio from Cairns, Queensland, formed in 2014. The group consists of three members: Christian Anthony, Clinton Cave and Mitchel Cave. Ch ...
and DCF, playing 46 shows across North America in support of the album. On February 2, Lights released the music video for her song "We Were Here". She joined
Young the Giant's fall tour in October as the supporting act.
In November 2018, Lights collaborated with
Deadmau5
Joel Thomas Zimmerman (born January 5, 1981), known professionally as Deadmau5 (stylized as deadmau5; pronounced "dead-mouse"), is a Canadian electronic music producer and DJ. He mainly produces progressive house music, though he also produces ...
on his track "Drama Free", which was released on his ''
Mau5ville: Level 2'' EP. In early 2019, she collaborated with
Felix Cartal
Taelor Deitcher (born April 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Felix Cartal, is a Canadian DJ and electronic dance music producer. He released his first EP ''Skeleton'' in 2009 once he signed with Dim Mak Records. Since then he has gone on ...
on the track "Love Me" and with
Sleepy Tom
Cam Tatham, known by his stage name Sleepy Tom, is a Canadian DJ and music producer. He released his first EP ''The Currency'' on Fool's Gold Records in March 2013. The music video for lead track, "The Currency", debuted on ''Rolling Stone's'' we ...
on the track "Amateurs".
On May 12, 2019, it was announced that she had signed to
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen LLC is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by 300 Elektra Entertainment. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida in 1996, is now based in New York City.
History
John Janick conceived of the lab ...
, which would release ''Skin&Earth Acoustic'' supported by a North American concert tour. The acoustic album was released on July 12 with three new songs.
On June 11, 2020, she released a seven-track instrumental
synthwave
Synthwave (also called outrun, retrowave, or futuresynth) is an electronic music microgenre that is based predominantly on the music associated with action, science-fiction, and horror film soundtracks of the 1980s. Other influences are drawn fr ...
album on
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...
titled ''
How to Sleep When You're on Fire
''How to Sleep When You're on Fire'' is an EP by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights. It was released on June 11, 2020 on Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond an ...
''. Proceeds from this album would be donated to the
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
Vancouver branch.
On July 9, 2020, Lights released the song "Dead End", alongside its music video. The song was part of a remix EP of the same name, released in collaboration with MYTH on August 7.
In 2021, Lights began releasing music under the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Lūn, a character that appeared in her ''Skin & Earth'' comic in 2017, explaining "Lūn is a musician in the Skin&Earth universe. Though she is never actually mentioned, she appears all through the comic." The EP titled ''haha i like it'' was released by Lūn in April 2021. That same month, Lights released the song "Beside Myself". In October, she released "Prodigal Daughter" as the lead single from her album ''
Pep
Pep is energy or high spirits; it may refer to:
* Pep band, an ensemble of instrumentalists
* Pep, the dog in ''Putt-Putt'' (series)
* Neilson Dairy confectionery brand
* Pep, New Mexico
* Pep, Texas
* Pep Cereal, by Kellogg
* Pep Comics, by MLJ ...
'', released on April 1, 2022.
Musical style and influence
Lights is known for her
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
and contemporary
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
tunes.
Her musical style has been described as electropop,
electronic rock
Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrume ...
and synth-pop.
Lights described her own music as an "electronic landscape of moody sunset times". ''The Listening'' was characterized as gentle indie-electronic alt-rock. ''Siberia'' was characterized by a "heavier" sound than her previous works. ''
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
''s review of ''Little Machines'' described it as a "mature, electro-punk affair that proved Lights had grown beyond the twee, synth-and-folk artist she started out as." Lights stated that her artistic influences were
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
,
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
and
Supertramp
Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...
.
Awards and nominations
Personal life
In 2010, Lights was introduced to
Beau Bokan
Beau Mark Bokan (born November 30, 1981) is an American musician and singer best known as the former lead vocalist of Blessthefall, and the former vocalist of Take the Crown.
Background
On September 26, 2008, Bokan joined Blessthefall as the ...
, the lead vocalist of
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band
Blessthefall
Blessthefall (stylized as blessthefall or BLESSTHEFALL prior to 2013) was an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, signed to Rise Records. The band was founded in 2004 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist and v ...
, at a
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. The band was formed by guitarist Eddie Reyes and bassist Jesse Lacey in 1999. The band's members currently are Adam Lazzara (lead vocals), John Nolan (lead guitar, keybo ...
concert in Los Angeles, and the two quickly started dating. After becoming engaged in September 2011, they were married on May 12, 2012, and Lights added "Bokan" to her last name (now stylized as Poxleitner-Bokan). They received matching tattoos to commemorate their wedding date. Lights gave birth to their first child on February 15, 2014.
In December 2017, Lights
came out
Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity.
Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
as bisexual during an interview with
''People'' magazine.
Discography
* ''
The Listening'' (2009)
* ''
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
'' (2011)
* ''
Little Machines'' (2014)
* ''
Skin & Earth
''Skin & Earth'' (stylized as ''Skin&Earth'') is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Lights. The album was released on September 22, 2017 through Warner Bros. Records. The album was preceded by release of her single "Giants", a ...
'' (2017)
* ''
PEP
Pep is energy or high spirits; it may refer to:
* Pep band, an ensemble of instrumentalists
* Pep, the dog in ''Putt-Putt'' (series)
* Neilson Dairy confectionery brand
* Pep, New Mexico
* Pep, Texas
* Pep Cereal, by Kellogg
* Pep Comics, by MLJ ...
'' (2022)
Books
* ''Skin&Earth: Volume one'' (2017 graphic novel)
* ''Skin&Earth: Volume two'' (2017 graphic novel)
* ''Skin&Earth: Volume three'' (2017 graphic novel)
* ''Skin&Earth: Volume four'' (2017 graphic novel)
* ''Skin&Earth: Volume five'' (2017 graphic novel)
* ''Skin&Earth: Volume six'' (2017 graphic novel)
* ''The Clinic: A Skin&Earth Side Story'' (2022)
Filmography
Music videos
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lights (musician)
1987 births
Living people
Bisexual musicians
Bisexual women
Canadian child singers
Canadian Christians
Canadian electronic musicians
Canadian women pop singers
Canadian women singer-songwriters
Canadian singer-songwriters
Canadian pop singers
Canadian people of Austrian descent
Canadian people of Colombian descent
Canadian people of German descent
Canadian people of Welsh descent
Canadian women in electronic music
Child pop musicians
Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year winners
Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year winners
Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year winners
Keytarists
LGBT Christians
LGBT singers from Canada
LGBT songwriters
Musicians from British Columbia
Musicians from Timmins
People from Mission, British Columbia
Sire Records artists
Writers from British Columbia
Writers from Ontario
21st-century Canadian women singers
Doghouse Records artists
20th-century LGBT people
21st-century LGBT people
Fueled by Ramen artists
Mau5trap artists