Lights Interview on Warped Tour '09

Interview: Lights
Date: July 10th, 2009
Venue: Arrow Hall, Toronto, Ontario
Conducted by: Brandon Allin


Brandon Allin, pit reporter for The Daily Chorus, had an opportunity to sit down with Canadian synth-pop powerhouse Lights before her performance on the Vans Warped Tour in Toronto, Ontario on July 10th, 2009. Lights' discussed how it feels to be a part of an event like the Warped Tour, her excitement at winning a Canadian music award for Best New Artist (pictured above), and the making of her forthcoming full-length release. Please read on for the interview:


I'm Brandon, and I'm standing here with the lovely Lights at the Toronto stop of the 2009 Vans Warped Tour. How are you today?

So, so good, and you just won me over with a bag of beef jerky. [Laughs] It's a trick; you got me all happy before the interview, and now I'm going to be all super stoked the whole time.

[Laughs] My pleasure. Now, unless I'm mistaken, this is your first time on the Warped Tour. Is that correct?

Well, I dropped in for two dates last year, but this is my first extended period on the Warped Tour, and let me tell you, it is good to be back in Canada.

Being from Canada, specifically here in Toronto, is this one of the dates you were most looking forward to?

Oh, yeah, for sure. It's so nice coming back home, getting to use all the loonies and toonies I have collected. It's strange when you cross the border.

Tell me about it.

[Laughs] It's definitely good to be home, even if it's only briefly.

You're out on the road all summer long playing to different crowds in different cities every day with so many diverse acts, so I've got to ask, how does it feel to be a part of such an established and well-respected event like the Warped Tour?

In short, it's incredible. I've obviously had the chance to hear some new artists I wasn't familiar with before, such as Innerpartysystem, and I'm learning a lot just watching them play. Not to mention, I'm getting to see a lot of my favorite bands from my past play, including Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada, NOFX, and Less than Jake. I'm a big fan of all of them. There are so many talented bands on this tour, it makes you want to be better at what you do.

With that said, which bands on the tour would you say are your favorites? Who have you had a chance to see so far?

I've seen a lot of bands already, and we're only just getting started. I think the top bands for me right now would be Innerpartysystem, The Devil Wears Prada, Underoath, and Canada's own, Shad. Also, I've really enjoyed watching Breathe Carolina and I Set My Friends On Fire play every day. We're all sharing the same stage, so we've all been really supportive of each other. They're all very talented guys.

How many dates deep into the tour are we?

This is the twelfth stop, actually.

Which cities have you enjoyed playing the most?

They have all been fantastic places to play but, naturally, I think Toronto is going to be the best. With that said, every town has had a handful of unique, cool things about them. For example, in Cleveland, there was a really, really lovely view, and in San Francisco, it was the perfect temperature. In Houston, I almost threw up after my set because it was so hot out. [Laughs] There are different advantages wherever you go, but I'd say the best date so far has been Dallas. I had no idea, but there were a lot of people who knew my music there, and I was really stoked about that.

That's great. Is it true you wrote your first song when you were only eleven years old?

Yes. Damn, you know your stuff. You must have been on Wikipedia. [Laughs]

Of course. I even have a quote pulled from there that I'm saving for a little later. You probably know what it is. [Laughs]

[Laughs] I probably do.

Alright, so you already have a Juno for Best New Artist under your belt. How exactly did it feel to win that?

It was not only a huge honour but, a huge surprise, as well. I was in a category up against a lot of major artists, who are really talented, and who all have full-length records out. My record hasn't even come out yet, I just have a six-song EP behind me. My record comes out later this year on September 22nd. With that said, I totally considered myself the underdog in that situation, especially because I've done everything independently. I don't really have the support of a major label backing me at all, so it's cool to know that someone doing something independently, and doing things the way they want to, can be recognized like that.

Well, congratulations. It was a well-deserved victory.

Thank you so much.

With all those awards behind you so early into your career as a musician, what's next for Lights?

Well, right now, we're really building up to the release of my record in September, which is obviously coming out a little bit earlier in Canada, because Canada is that much more special to me. But after I finish up Warped Tour, I'm going to be doing a bunch of dates across Canada with Keane in September. After that, I'll be doing even more touring throughout the fall across Canada and the United States. Also, get this, I am working on ten, two-minute episodes of semi-animated comics featuring my voice overs. My character is named Captain Lights, and all of my music will be integrated into the comics. I've been working with Marvel digital illustrator Tomm Coker. It has been so much fun putting together all the characters and developing the storyline. I think it's going to be a great way to accompany the record, especially because I'm such a comic fan.

Very nice. We'll be on the lookout.

Thanks. I'm very excited for it all.

With that said, you seem to be just as invested in the visual side of things as you are the music. Is that correct?

Absolutely. The art is just as important to me.

From what I understand, you did the artwork for your debut release. Will you be doing the art for your new record, as well?

Actually, the artwork for the new record is done. I've been working with Garnett Armstrong, who is a fantastic artist, and a very comic-style illustrator. It was my idea, but I handed him all the concepts and ideas I wanted to work with, and basically, it's Watchmen meets Sailor Moon meets 28 Days Later, and I think it turned out so well. I've released the cover art already, but that's just one of three panels of the actual art itself, so it will make a lot more sense when you see it. I'm so stoked on it.

Is that kind of creative control something you require as an artist, or how does that work?

Of course. It's not even so much something that I require, but something that is supported by everyone on my team. The more hands you have involved to draw things for you, or produce things for you, or write for you, the more diluted the artistry becomes. As long as I can keep everything coming from the same place, you know you're getting it all from the same artist. I mean, every time I write something musically, there is always something visually that goes hand-in-hand with it, which is kind of manifested in my videos. There is always some bizarre concept that goes along with the music. [Laughs] With that being said, I'm actually making a video for my new song the day after I wrap things up out here.

Is it true your new single will be unleashed in a only couple of days?

It's called "Saviour," and it has already hit radio in Canada, but I'm going to put it online on Monday.

I haven't had the chance to hear it yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

You'll hear it today if you watch my set.

I'll be there.

Awesome. I'll see you there.

Musically speaking, your debut EP had sort of an atmospheric, almost spacey pop sound to it. Is that sort of vibe what we can expect from the new record, or are you planning on trying some different things?

Well, I mean, just like anything, I've gotten a little better at what I do, and everything is a little bit older and, in some ways, a little bit darker. With that said, four songs will be crossing over from the EP to the new record, including "Ice," which has been remixed. There are thirteen songs on the record, and it's essentially more of what you heard on the EP, but there is a little more use of guitar this time around. Also, in real life, I talk extremely fast, and one of the things I've been learning to do is how to utilize that to my advantage, so there is a lot more lyrics packed into small spaces, and I'm really learning how to rhythmically-organize different lyrics in really cool ways.

That all sounds fantastic. Alright, so back to that quote I mentioned earlier, are you ready for this?

[Laughs] Here we go. Lay it on me.

If I've got this right, you said "when people hear my music, I want it to make them happy inside. Not like sexy happy, but apple pie happy."

[Laughs] That's the quote alright.

Can you explain that one a little further for us?

Well, there are definitely multiple different kinds of happy, right? I mean, I don't write about super-sexual things at all. In fact, I never write about that. [Laughs] With that being said, I don't even write about romantic things very often, if at all. For example, on the new record, I think there's only one song written about a guy. The rest of it is written about emotions, whether or not they spawn from a romantic situation. In fact, the eleventh song on my new record is all about World of Warcraft.
Interesting. I've heard you're a big fan.

Totally, but what I'm trying to get at is, I'm hoping it brings out emotions and feelings in those who hear it. But you've got to admit, when you go to your grandma's house and she has a hot apple pie sitting there waiting for you to have a piece, that's like the best feeling ever, and an entirely different kind of happy. That's not to be confused with American Pie, though. [Laughs] That's a different kind of feeling.

[Laughs] Absolutely. Well, I think that's all the time we have for today. Is there anything you'd like to add before we part ways?

Um, come to the set, sing along, and check out the new record on September 22nd.

Thank you very much for being here with us today. Best of luck on the rest on the tour.

Thanks so much. I'll see you later.

Lights' debut full-length release, The Listenining, will hit stores on September 22nd in Canada, and shortly thereafter worldwide. Be sure to catch Lights on tour in a city near you. For more information on Lights, please click visit IAMLIGHTS.COM or MYSPACE.COM/LIGHTSNOISE.

Furthermore, The Daily Chorus would like to send our utmost gratification to Linda Doyle and Kate Cafaro for their hard work in coordinating this interview.