Lights

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Lights – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Lights (born Valerie Anne Poxleitner) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known for her electropop sound and emotionally rich lyrics. Explore her early life, musical evolution, key albums, notable quotes, and enduring impact.

Introduction

Lights (full name Valerie Anne Poxleitner-Bokan) was born on April 11, 1987 in Timmins, Ontario, Canada. The Listening, Siberia, Little Machines, Skin & Earth, and Pep, she has built a devoted fanbase by combining introspective lyrics with lush electronic production.

Her artistry is not just about music: she has extended into visual storytelling (notably a comic book tie-in with Skin & Earth) and explores themes of identity, mental health, relationships, and self-empowerment.

Early Life and Background

Lights was born to missionary parents Virginia and Eric Poxleitner.

By age 9, she already had a guitar, and by 11 she was writing her own songs.

In high school she played in a metal band called Shovel Face.

At around 18 she moved to Toronto and adopted the stage name “Lights” (a nickname derived from her surname).

Musical Career & Key Albums

Debut & The Listening

In 2008, Lights released an EP (self-titled) and signed with Underground Operations, Warner Bros., and other labels.

Her debut full album, The Listening, came out in 2009, featuring songs such as “Saviour” and “Ice.” Juno Award for New Artist of the Year following this era.

Siberia and the Shift in Sound

In 2011, Lights released Siberia, which adopted a more aggressive, dubstep-inflected electronic sound than her debut.

Little Machines and Mainstream Success

With Little Machines (2014), Lights returned to a more polished synthpop aesthetic.

Skin & Earth and Multimedia Vision

Her 2017 album Skin & Earth was part of a transmedia project: she released a comic book series alongside the album, with each issue corresponding to a song.

Recent Works: Pep and A6

In 2022, she released Pep. A6. A6, she discussed writing all the songs, playing many instruments, and recording at her home studio, as well as in Berlin and Los Angeles.

Style, Themes & Artistic Identity

• Genre & Sound: Her music is frequently described as electropop, synth-pop, and electronic rock.

• Lyrical Focus: Her songwriting often addresses mental health, self-reflection, identity, relationships, and emotional resilience.

• Visual & Narrative Integration: The Skin & Earth project illustrates her commitment to integrating story, visuals, and music.

• Evolution & Vulnerability: She has spoken about evolving from shying away from anger, conflict, or sexuality in her songs to embracing more open, honest expression.

Personal Life

• She married Beau Bokan (vocalist of the metalcore band Blessthefall) on May 12, 2012.

• They have a daughter, born February 15, 2014.

• In December 2017, she publicly came out as bisexual.

• In 2022, she clarified she no longer identifies as religious.

Famous Quotes by Lights

Here are some notable quotes attributed to her:

• “A word can change so much depending on how you say it, or how you sing it.”

• From interviews around Skin & Earth: she noted, “In the past, Lights wouldn’t write about being angry or Lights wouldn’t write a song about fighting or Lights wouldn’t write about sex”.

These reflect her sensitivity to expression and her journey toward greater honesty in her art.

Lessons from Lights

1. Artistic growth matters: Her progression across albums shows that evolving sound and vulnerability can deepen impact.

2. Multimedia storytelling amplifies voice: By weaving comics, visuals, and music, she expresses a fuller artistic identity.

3. Authenticity resonates: Embracing personal truths (about sexuality, mental health, emotional life) strengthens connection with listeners.

4. Independence & self-reliance: Writing, playing instruments, and producing much of her music herself gives her creative control.

5. Adaptation with integrity: She flexible experiments with sound (pop, electronic, heavier tones) while maintaining a core identity.

Legacy and Influence

Lights has become an influential figure in the indie/pop-electronic space, especially in Canada. Her albums have earned multiple Juno Awards and critical acclaim. She inspires younger artists who wish to combine pop sensibility and meaningful content. Her multimedia approach (e.g. comics linked to music) is often cited as innovative in bridging fandoms of music and graphic art.

Her boldness in opening narrative themes she earlier avoided helps normalize greater emotional range in pop music, especially for women and queer artists.

Conclusion

Lights’s career is a compelling blend of melody, vulnerability, and vision. From early songwriting in her youth to ambitious multimedia projects, she has steadily expanded the boundaries of her work. Her music resonates not just for its production and hooks, but for its emotional honesty and evolving identity.