LOS ANGELES — With a sound that she describes as "intergalactic-electro music," LIGHTS is ready to take the world by storm at the ripe age of 22. But don't let her age fool you.

"It's easy to misconstrue a young girl singer as a total puppet. I am the opposite of that," says the Canadian star, whose debut album, "The Listening," arrives in stores today.

ASM Rising Star Pick

LIGHTS, born Valerie Poxleitner, has developed plenty of street smarts for someone her age. Born in Timmins, Ontario, she traveled widely during her childhood, living in such locations as the Philippines and Jamaica. As a child always on the go, she leaned on music as a means of finding consistency, first by bonding with a guitar.