Feature

The beautiful and talented Toby Lightman is set to showcase her latest organic sounds at the Soul Kitchen on Oct. 14. Lightman is hectically touring across the nation in support of her Atlantic Records release “Bird on a Wire,” a follow-up to her major debut “Little Things.” For this release, Lightman recruited legendary music producers Bill Botrell (Michael Jackson, Madonna and Shelby Lynne) and Pat Leonard (Madonna and Roger Waters) and even Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution fame. From talking to Lightman, one can see that she’s taking life play by play.

SC: You keep a pretty hectic tour schedule. What’s that like?

TL: It’s very tiring. It’s definitely a lot of traveling. We’re not on a bus, so we’re driving in a van. It’s definitely grueling, but I definitely see a mark being made and people coming to the shows. So, it makes it worth it.

SC : I’ve heard you have quite a stage presence. What’s going through your mind when you get on stage?

TL: I’m really just having fun and not really thinking too much. I’m just up there singing my songs. There’s really not much going on in my mind. I’m hoping that people are having a good time and smiling, and that’s usually good stuff (laughing)!

SC: Your new album “Bird on a Wire” is out now. How would you say that this one is different from “Little Things?”

TL: It’s really different. I think when a couple of years pass, people change. I started leaning more towards a little bit more organic music kind of rock. I was really into hip-hop and program stuff and was doing those things. I’ve been listening more to good soul music and really spacious, real music where the feeling is there, the vibe is there, and you really don’t need much more than that. I really tried to focus my record like that with the symphony and what makes the song sound the best.

SC: What was it like working with Bill Botrell and Pat Leonard?

TL: It was amazing! I don’t really know anybody. I don’t know anybody’s name, so I was wasn’t really intimidated when I first met them. When I started working and realized how high their bar is and what is impressive to them and what works and what doesn’t work, they’re definitely hard people to live up to, and they challenged me. At times, it was really, really hard, but when I was able to step up to the challenge, it was really gratifying.

SC: One thing that was wild to me was that recruited Wendy Melvoin, who a former member of Prince’s band. How did you guys hook up?

TL: Wendy has a studio in the same studio that Pat Leonard does, so they’re actually friendly. She’d come in some times and say, ‘Hi,” and thought it would be cool if she could play on it. I can’t say that it was a relationship for me, but for her, she appreciated my story and opening up for him.

SC: What are your plans for the future?

TL: I’m kinda living it right now- just touring and try to build up something up that will last a long time. I feel really supportive by the way they’re letting me tour, and we really haven’t any pushed out anything to the radio yet. I just feel like I’m doing it in a slow and steady way, and whatever happens happens.

Stephen Centanni is Lagniappe music editor. Contact him at scentanni@lagniappemobile.com.

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