Canadian singer-songwriter Lights wants to young girls to know they can do anything they want.
“Young girls aren’t marketed science-y stuff or tech-y stuff or necessarily music stuff,” she said during an appearance on the Soul Sisters podcast. “Little boys are being marketed DJ sets and all this stuff, but not little girls.”
Lights, 30, added: “Spread the love. Let’s build apps that are targeted at kids, let’s make TV shows that are targeted at kids that are more balanced or maybe something specifically targeted at little girls that show them that there are other career lines out there.”
The Vancouver-based artist, whose new album is Skin & Earth, said her 3-year-old daughter Rocket gets called “tomboy” for liking trucks and Ninja Turtles.
“No, she just likes what she likes,” the proud mom explained. “I don’t like that word, ‘tomboy.’ Just because she likes things that typically boys like doesn’t mean she’s a boy.”
Lights said women in the science, tech and creative fields have a responsibility. “It’s in our hands to change,” she said.
Light performs in Vancouver on Jan. 30 and 31 followed by Toronto on March 1 and 2 and then shows starting March 27 in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, North Bay, Ottawa, Kitchener and London. Check out all the dates here.