Part American Apparel model, part intergalactic ice princess, Ontario's airy eletronicist LIGHTS is what happens when Wonder Woman shoots up a lifetime supply of pixie sticks, lands inside an '80s jazzercise studio and birth's a super-child atop a Korg keyboard.
Pre-DC adaptation, LIGHTS was known as Valerie Poxleitner, the sweet and well-traveled daughter of two missionary parents. With music in her heart, a Bible in hand and her head somewhere off in the stars, young Valerie would write the first verse of her biorhythm and launch her star into a galaxy revolving around planet Juno.
Breaking free from her orbit, LIGHTS managed to manipulate the time continuum and float over details on everything from her handsome and homely eight-legged BFF Lance to schooling n00bz in her second life on World of Warcraft. She was sure to dispel any rumors that our interaction halted her plans.
"I'm just sitting here reading books about swords at the bookstore, so we're not in any rush," LIGHTS said.
Drawing her Sword of a Thousand Truths from its bedazzled holster, LIGHTS gave an insightful look inside the origin of her pet tarantula Lance, some salacious details on his love life and explained just how a pretty and petite songstress from Canada falls for a furry web-weaver.
"It's not so much a love for spiders, it's just a love for Lance. Most spiders I don't like," LIGHTS said. "You see, I'm the type of person who likes to tackle any challenges that I have and I was kind of afraid of spiders and so I knew that I had to get a spider in order to face it. So, I went to the pet store and said put him on me and he did, the pet guy, and I got him and we've been friends ever since."
Despite what you may think, Lance wasn't named after a certain member of a certain band that went bye, bye, bye around six years ago.
"You know what, I have this incredible ability to look at an animal and stare into its eyes and know what its name is. And so I looked into his multiple eyes and just knew he was Lance. It had nothing to do with Lance Bass, in fact it probably had more to do with Lance Armstrong than anything -- the guy who went to the moon, you know," LIGHTS said.
Not one to deny jealousy, she proceeded to draw up an image of her overprotective nature in regards to Lance's love life.
"Well, he's already had a girlfriend. See, he went out with Electra, she's like a superhero action figure I had. They were dating for a while, but it was actually really hard for me and I actually had to get rid of her because he was spending too much time with her. I do get selfish about him, that's why I wanted to pick his friends," LIGHTS said.
Caped and ready for battle, LIGHTS spends most of her moments away from Lance playing World of Warcraft. Though most will never be able to reach her level, she does offer her feelings on being dressed to impress and e-quipped to debilitate.
"Well, it's a magical cape, clearly. It has like heat emanating from it, that's what you cant tell from the video," LIGHTS said in regard to the majestic cape she wore in her video for "February Air," which she may or may not wear during game play.
On a more serious note, she addressed the game's highly publicized addictive tendencies.
"As long as you have control over everything else, then you won't get addicted. It's just something to get your mind out of the game for a while. Well I guess that's kind of the wrong word to use. It's to get your mind out of real life for a little bit as it gets a little chaotic at times. WoW is just another place to go to," LIGHTS said. "...It's like reading. Some people like reading to get their mind off it, I prefer playing WoW."
It may seem odd that with a personality like LIGHTS' and a true love for the game, she still hasn't landed in any of those World of Warcraft commercials. With celebrities like Ozzy Osborne hawking the game like motor oil, LIGHTS, among the rest of us, is a bit skeptical if those WoW faces even play.
"I sometimes don't believe it. Maybe they've tried it, maybe they started a character and never go on it. It would be interesting to know. Like I wonder if Leeroy Jenkins even plays it anymore," she said.
And if you catch that reference, wow.
Leaving Azeroth and heading towards the musical front, LIGHTS is known for her high pitched, yet smooth pipes, sounding like a harmonized vocal orgy between Eisley singer Sherri Dupree, Vanessa Carlton and Gwen Stefani. With playful singing and retro-synth cheesiness, LIGHTS has made a name for herself in Canada, releasing her successful self-titled EP and promising a new and improved full-length later this year.
"It's gonna be coming out August or September latest. I'm really excited. It's pretty much done. Four songs will go over from the EP and then there will be about eight new ones. It's in the same vein as the EP, obviously it's coming from the same place, but it's a little step further along.
"Musically, you have a couple more organic instruments coming in, a little bit more guitar, and I'm just searching my heart more in-depth for the lyrics and I'm just taking everything one degree further. You're still getting all the electro fun and all the melodies, but I'm just getting that much better at what I do and I'm really proud of it," LIGHTS said.
When not tampering around with laser gun samples and ducking bottles after playing gigs with bands that are in polar opposite genres, LIGHTS designs her own self-based comic and films a weekly video blog. She's extremely accessible to her fans and exudes a pure and innocent excitement that's extremely refreshing in today's scene.
"I just like to be honest with my music and regardless of whether it's pop or whether it's metal or either of them," LIGHTS said. "It's still honest music and I think everyone can appreciate a good melody. And that's kind of what I base everything on."
Though a bit spacey, LIGHTS is an incredibly charming act and is just about impossible deny once you give in. She'll be playing at the Mohawk Place on Monday and will also be performing an exclusive pre-show set for WRUB.
Brave the February air and go.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
