In our increasingly artificial world, Toby Lightman's pure and soulful voice cuts through the noise and connects with people emotionally. Classically trained on the violin and self-taught on the guitar, Lightman was unaware of her vocal talent until her high school graduation, when she performed her first solo. The crowd’s overwhelming reaction propelled her to buy her first guitar, which led to landing a major record deal with Lava Records after college.

Toby Lightman’s debut album Little Things appeared on the “Billboard Top 100” in its first week and gave way to comparisons to Lauryn Hill, Sheryl Crow and Norah Jones. Lightman received high praise from Rolling Stone, People, Billboard and others, which led to appearances on Letterman, Carson Daly, Conan, CBS Morning Show as well as extensive touring with artists such as Rob Thomas, Jewel, Gavin DeGraw, Train, Marc Cohn, and a special evening opening for Prince, an artist Lightman grew up idolizing. As an independent artist, Lightman has gone on to have over 100 song placements in films, tv shows and ads, and has also composed integral songs for the iconic Sesame Street and other shows on PBS.

Following in her idol, Prince’s, footsteps, Lightman self-produced her album AFTER ALL which she released in 2022. “Over the years, I have worked with only male producers because I knew of no women that were producing. I didn’t want to share songs about my journey through pregnancy, loss, and motherhood, so I decided to teach myself how to produce,” says Lightman. As one of the few females to enter into the world of production, Lightman is dedicated to encouraging other women to do the same. Through organizations like She is the Music, Women in Music and Balance the Mix, Toby Lightman is championing women to take control of their creations as she did. “It’s extremely empowering to write a song from the depths of my soul, with feelings that

are genuinely mine, as a woman, and then bring that song to life without the help of a male producer who most likely won’t connect at all”, says Lightman. “The studio should be a safe place for women. However, we make up only 5% of all producers throughout the music business, so it’s our job to empower women who want to take control of their own creative destinies!”

Lightman is currently producing her next album, slated for release in early 2026. The album’s first single, “Higher,” was recorded by American Idol finalist Breanna Nix, whose version reached #1 on the iTunes Country Chart, iTunes Top Songs Chart, and Billboard Christian Digital Song Sales. She followed with “Somebody’s Someone,” a mantra of comfort that blossoms into an uplifting journey of joy and hope. Her upcoming single, “Count on Me,” out September 19th, is a heartfelt ode to true friendship, reminding us that it’s okay to lean on others and that real friends will always show up through both joy and hardship.