Pretty Lights Biography

Pretty Lights, also known as Derek Vincent Smith, is a music producer. The name Pretty Lights comes from a prior music project Smith had created with another friend that failed to be completed. Smith also started a music label called Pretty Lights Music; hence the name Pretty Lights was formed. Pretty Lights definitely has a unique talent that sets him apart from any other DJ in the industry. Pretty Lights has a new and upcoming outlook on the electronic dance and music scene.

After growing up a skater his whole life, Pretty Lights drifted his interests slowly into music. Starting from a bass guitar, Pretty Lights gained knowledge and musical influence from elder bands such as the Beastie Boys, The Roots, and The Casualties. Along with other aspiring DJs, Pretty Lights learned what he knows best through the computer software Ableton.

To start off his career, Smith was a part of a small band called ‘Listen’ in the early 2000s. After that short-lived experience, he started working on his passion, Pretty Lights. This was his personal music experience that he expanded and brought to life around 2004. The style his music is different from the rest in that it has a glitch hip-hop beat to it that keeps your ears peeled. These beats will have you hooked listening for hours. The pops of funk and soul that fill the quiet pauses are something that makes Pretty Lights so incredibly unique.

In 2007, Pretty Lights had exceeded his expectations and began collaborating with other larger artists like STS9 and Widespread Panic. Pretty Lights began to make appearances around the country in early 2008. After experiencing being on the road, in 2009 Pretty Lights booked gigs at music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Electric Daisy Carnival and Electric Zoo in New York City. Following these smaller festivals, Pretty Lights felt prepared and ready to go on his first tour, all on his own.

Some hit singles that Pretty Lights created and performed live in concert include “I Know the Truth,” and a few remixes, “Country Roads,” “It’s Tricky,” and “Wayfaring Stranger.” In 2012, Pretty Lights made an appearance in a personal documentary featuring this track.

Pretty Lights Music was becoming a huge success in a short amount of time. Pretty Lights was not only the record label producing the music, it had become who Smith was. Another unique aspect of Pretty Lights was the insanely beautiful light show that they created. This involved large towers of LED lights to resemble a city skyline.

In 2011, Pretty Lights had released an album under his own record label. The plus side to him owning his own records is allowing free downloads to all audiences! This was definitely a plus for Pretty Lights as well as the audience, gaining itself millions of followers and fans on the daily. Two years later, two more albums were made and produced by Pretty Lights Music called “A Color Map of the Sun.” Later in 2013, this album was nominated for Best Electronic Album in the Grammys of 2014.