Since the release of her self-titled debut EP in 2008, Valerie Anne Poxleitner has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. After adopting
the name LIGHTS, Valerie began her professional music career at 16 as a writer for Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but her interest in music began at a much earlier age.

“When I was 11, I learned a couple of chords on the guitar and fell in love with the concept of creating something out of thin air,” Poxleitner says.

After composing several songs for the Canadian television series “Instant Star,”
Poxleitner went on to record her first EP, which earned her a [2009 Juno award for New Artist of the Year.](http://junoawards.ca/awards/artist-summary/?artist_name=LIGHTS&submit=Search)

That summer, LIGHTS appeared on Vans Warped Tour. Later that year, she released her first full-length album, _The Listening._ In an interview for ARTISTdirect.com, Poxleitner described the album as an emotional journey that chronicled her self-discoveries over a couple of years.

With her second studio album _Siberia,_ released last year, Poxleitner found her sound
straying from familiar polished pop and delving instead into a grittier sound influenced
by the grimy beats of dubstep, according to the LIGHTS website.

“_Siberia_ is different because I’ve changed since _The Listening_.” LIGHTS says. “I’m
still changing.”

Collaborating with Canadian electronic band Holy Fuck and rapper/hip-hop artist Shad,
Poxleitner was able to create a unique, if not unexpected, sophomore album.

“The collaboration with Holy Fuck and Shad was so organic,” Poxleitner says. “It just
sort of happened and that’s the exciting part: rolling with the punches.”

LIGHTS has been on tour in support of _Siberia_ for the last two weeks. Her tour began
on the west coast in San Francisco and will end in Boston.

“We had a day off in Arizona and went to these beautiful canyons,” Poxleitner says of
the tour. “It was an opportunity to appreciate the bare necessity of nature.”

After the conclusion of her tour, LIGHTS will perform with deadmau5 at the 2013 Juno
Awards on April 1. But before then, Poxleitner will visit Columbia for her first time, and
she says she’s excited.

“I have an awesome band, and the shows are always energetic,” LIGHTS said. “You
can see it, hear it, feel it.”