A month ago, I featured Canadian popstrel Lights and her kick-ass music. Here's a little refresher: it's awesome; Lights described it as "a nervous sheep straddling a rocket to bring a daisy to a wolf in stilettos waiting lonely on the moon"; February Air is like Kate Voegele meeting the keytar; and oh, did I mention awesome? Anyways, Lights is gearing up for 2010 with the premiere of the music video for Second Go. But before we go into that, Valerie Anne Poxleitner answers why she changed her name to Lights, her stay in the Philippines, and why she fell in love with synthesizers.

Where did the name Lights come from?

Lights was a nickname that came from a shortened version of my last name, Poxleitner. Upon creating my first music MySpace page with that as my name, I legally changed my first name to Lights shortly after.

February Air is a beautiful song. Where do you get your song ideas?

Thank you! I generally write exactly what I need to say at that time, whether it's something I need to get off my chest or discuss (but there is no one to discuss it with) or if I've had a line or two floating around in my head that I can't seem to forget.

What did you see in synths that wasn't there in acoustics?

With a synthesizer you can create sounds, with the acoustic you simply work around the sound you have. Both are great, but the synth is there if you have an idea for a sound, not just a melody.

I heard you have stayed in the Philippines before. I'm Filipino (in terms of citizenship), so I have to ask, how did you find the Philippines?

I lived in the Philippines for three and a half years when I was a kid. One of the most outstanding things about Filipinos is that pop music is such a part of the culture. Everybody loves to sing! It was a great place to grow up, and with so much poverty everywhere, it taught me to make my own fun. We'd play with the kids from squatter areas and have such a blast with nothing, no toys.

For those who haven't heard of LIGHTS yet, how would you describe your music?

Smooth electro pop!

Here's the video for Second Go. Cheers! (HQ video in process)