EMERGING ARTIST PROFILE

By Karen Bliss

There is a lot of sunshine in Lights’ life these days as the young artist evolves from being a “buzz” act in waiting to a spotlight attraction.

Electro-pop singer/keyboardist Lights has received tremendously powerful exposure in North America with four song placements for Old Navy commercials, resulting in some two million plays on her MySpace page, and her self-titled debut EP was just released on Underground Operations/Universal Music Canada earlier this week (April 22).

Lights’ manager Jian Ghomeshi, a media star and music practioner himself says the EP is “a one-off deal” to maintain the focus on his rising star and at the same time keep the options open for any future deal.

“They’ve just licensed the six-song EP. We haven’t officially signed anything more than that in Canada or in the States. She’s still essentially unsigned, but we really like both the ethos and the style of Underground Operations and like the people there, so they’re putting out the EP that she’s recorded.”

Ghomeshi has been managing the native of Timmins, Ontario, for seven years, since she was 13 after he was tipped off to her by stylist Paul Benoit. Lights, whose real name is Valerie Poxleitner, has taken the time to develop her own style and sound and Ghomeshi finally feels she’s ready for the world, and the world ready for what he found so special in her all those years ago.

The four songs Old Navy licensed are “February Air,” “White,” “Drive My Soul” and “Last Thing On Your Mind,” and the singer also also has a cameo role in the ad. Within weeks the advertising exposure resulted in more than 20,000 downloads on iTunes America and 30,000 downloads on Vcast, “so we’re talking about 50,000 song downloads,” Ghomeshi says.

“There’s no press, there’s no promo, there’s no record. Her songs are just resonating because it’s all been independent up until now. We’re very cautious.”

Ghomeshi says the two of them have met with Interscope-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine at his house and recently went to Los Angeles at the invitation of Warner Bros. CEO Tom Whalley. “Whoever we’re going to partner with is going to be the right partner who really gets this as a long-term artist, as opposed to cashing in right now on just how great these songs are and who she is.