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There was something about the pulsating bass thump that drove Derek Vincent Smith to music.
“I’ve always been moved by what music does for audiences,” he said during a recent interview from Oxford, Miss. “There doesn’t have to be lyrics, and music is still able to move you.”
Smith’s foray into music started when he developed hip-hop beats during high school. After leaving college at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009, Smith adopted the name Pretty Lights and started making electronic music. Since his debut, Smith’s music has been heard all over the world.
“I’ve been lucky to be received so well,” he said. “It’s been an amazing year so far.”
In 2010, Pretty Lights played the Coachella Valley Music Festival, as well as the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, just to name a few festivals.
“It’s amazing to be in front of 12,000 people and just being able to move them with my music,” he said. “This summer was a very surreal time in my life.”
When it comes to music, Smith is a perfectionist. While he and drummer Adam Deitch make up the band, it’s Smith who has creative control.
“I’m always looking to up the ante with each song,” he said. “I guess I’m obsessed with trying to reach some element of perfection.”
Smith explained that when he’s coming up with beats, he’s usually sampling songs and trying to come up with something new.
“When it comes together, it’s always very organic and soulful,” he said. “Because I draw from a lot of soul samples, there’s a lot of emotion behind each chord progression.”
Smith admitted to being intimidated at times when performing. He said being on stage with only one other person causes him to be vulnerable.
“I want each show to be just like a big house party,” he said. “I want to see everyone dancing.”
In between his rigorous tour schedule, Smith somehow found time to release three EPs this year. “Making Up a Changing Mind,” “Spilling Over Every Side” and “Glowing in the Darkest Night” were released within months of each other.
Smith said he had a plan in releasing three EPs.
“First, it’s cheaper than doing an entire album,” he said. “Second, all three EPs have a different theme and belong together. To mix up the songs would have been detrimental to the music.”
Smith said he’s looking forward to making more music in 2011.
He said it’s a challenge to himself to keep growing while making music.
“Once I stop loving what I’m doing, I’ll stop making music,” he said. “Until then, I am trying to take the time to wrap my entire mind around the success I’ve had. It’s all happened so fast, I have to step back and remind myself to be thankful.”
If you go
WHAT: Pretty Lights
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2
WHERE: Sunshine Theater, 120 W. Central
HOW MUCH: $15 available at www.holdmyticket.com
