For Canadian singer-songwriter LIGHTS, the boundary between reality and fantasy is flexible. A lover of “World of Warcraft” and all things sci-fi, the 23-year-old artist has a tattoo of a ray gun on her stomach and is ready to conquer the world — with music.
In an interview with The Eagle, the fast-talking LIGHTS discussed all the factors that make her such a unique artist. According to LIGHTS, her love of the science fiction genre has given the tiny singer the freedom to dream big.
“I think initially it impacts me as a person, in the mind frame that anything is possible,” LIGHTS said. “You know, as an artist more than a songwriter, the worst thing that could happen to you is being trapped in this box of the way things have to be. So sci-fi’s really freeing in that way, where anything is possible.”
LIGHTS has embraced her passion to the fullest. Not only does she have a fan guild in “War of Warcraft,” a social network that not many artists have taken advantage of, she has her own semi-animated comic alter ego.
“Audio Quest,” which began as LIGHTS’ twist on a simple bio for a press kit years ago, linked the singer with Marvel’s Tom Coker, and together the two created a series of semi-animated web comics.
The comic centers on Captain Lights, described by LIGHTS herself as an “intergalactic vigilante who carries a laser gun” as she searches for music to save the universe.
With side projects like this, it’s not hard to figure out what makes LIGHTS special.
“I just do what I love and I think there’s nothing I feel I can’t do if I wanna do it,” she said. “I’m unashamed, I’m unabashedly into the things that I’m into — whether it’s sci-fi or comics or electro music — and I do it because I’m passionate about it. And if you ask me, that’s what everyone should do.”
The influence of LIGHTS’ sci-fi passions on her music is clear from her debut album, “The Listening.” Every track sounds as though it could be the soundtrack to a fantasy movie or TV show, and not coincidentally provide the background music for “Audio Quest.”
Her voice has a similar sound to that of a very young girl, with power to make it stand out. Each song is full of sound, from guitar to keyboard to that odd combination of two instruments, the keytar. Yet there is softness to LIGHTS’ music that comes from that girlish voice, so full of hope and the wide-eyed innocence of someone who still believes in other worlds.
Standouts include “Quiet” and “Pretend,” which truly embrace all that is LIGHTS. But her true power as a vocalist comes through on “Face Up,” “February Air” and “Ice,” and it becomes clear that behind that youthful sound is a uniquely talented woman in her twenties.
The similarities to her touring partner, Owl City, are evident in many of the songs — especially the title track, which gives the listener an idea of what Owl City would sound like as a girl.
The two artists — who have been on tour together on and off since January — have had a smooth ride thus far according to LIGHTS.
“It’s awesome because [Owl City’s], you know, on the brink of success,” she said. “Well he is, now, experiencing some awesome success with his music and thusly the shows are selling out every night. So I’m gonna play for thousands of people every night who actually love electro-pop. It’s been really comfortable and fun, and the sound is great and I’m getting better at what I do every day.”
High on LIGHTS’ list of dream tour mates is MUTEMATH, who will be at AU opening for 30 Seconds to Mars towards the end of April.
“I mean, it’s really smart half-electro half-alternative rock pop music,” she said. “And actually, fun fact: [Paul Meany, frontman of MUTEMATH] plays the keytar too, and there are not very many people that can really play keytar with grace and without it being strict. If you looked up ‘keytar’ on Wikipedia, a picture of him comes up and a picture of me comes up. I think that’d be a really cool tour.”
No matter what direction her passions may lead her next, LIGHTS made it clear that the music always comes first.
“I’m interested in a lot of things, and I put a lot of stuff out there, but at the core of it everything that I do is because I love to make music and it’s only to make the music that much better,” she said. “I will always, always, always try to make sure that there is, at the core of it, good music for you to listen to.”
LIGHTS will be opening for Owl City at a sold-out concert April 22 at Constitution Hall in D.C.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
