Toby Lightman is in a tough position—even if it is the kind that many other young artists would kill for. She released her second album, Bird on a Wire, for Lava/Atlantic Records in July and just the title itself is telling because she is, in fact, caught in a sort of perilous balancing act. Almost all musicians will admit some sort of fear of getting hit by the dreaded "sophomore slump," but for Lightman the pressure is greater than usual. Her first album, Little Things, sold steadily and even boasted a hit single, "Devils & Angels." The heat is on now to recreate that success and maybe even better it. So how do you do it?

      In her late 20s and already dubbed the next Sheryl Crow, the easygoing New Jersey native can no longer ignore the buzz surrounding her talents both as a singer and a songwriter. "It is pressure," she admits, "but only if you make it." And who can blame a girl for feeling under the gun when you line up producers like Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow) and Patrick Leonard (Madonna) for your second disc.

      "Overall, this one was more difficult to make, being that I was working with these crazy talented people who have a lot of history and huge track records. It’s very hard to impress people like that," says Lightman. The resourceful young singer turned her nerves into creative action, though, and quickly impressed her uber-producers. "For them to give me compliments was kind of the ultimate because they are not the type of people who will say anything positive if they don’t really mean it," she explains.

      There may have been some daunting moments in the studio, but the sandy-haired singer has emerged with another solid album full of songs that speak of a wisdom far beyond her years, a wisdom mostly born of heartbreak and yearning. In fact, it’s easy to imagine Lilith Fair founder Sarah McLachlan relaunching the female-centric tour just to get in some collaboration time with her.

      Lightman's career thus far has been about challenging herself. Growing up in Cherry Hill, N.J., the young singer was no stranger to music. She played the violin, taught herself guitar and spent her teenage years discovering the pop tunes of the day. "Monster ballads were huge when I was in elementary school," she laughs before rattling off names like Journey and Chicago—"all of those one-word bands."

      Everything was on track for this young woman to lead a typical everyday life. She was studying the very safe subject of broadcasting at an even safer location, the University of Wisconsin, when suddenly, after her freshman year, she decided to take a semester off in favor of singing with a pickup band of Philadelphia musicians … in Bangkok, of all places. It was an unusual move for the normally straight-laced suburban girl, but it was definitely the right one.

      Upon her return from Bangkok, Lightman knew that music was it for her. Her decision left her family in a state of confusion. "When I moved to New York and I started bartending and trying to just meet musicians, I think my parents were supportive, but I don’t think they understood what I was trying to make happen," she muses. "A couple of times in conversation, I heard stuff like, ‘Oh, you’ll try for a year and then you’ll get a job.’"

      The determined young singer spent her time in the city well. When she wasn’t filling drink orders, she was working on her songs. "I don’t write anything down besides the lyrics," she admits, "so in order to ingrain [a song] in my mind, I play it over and over again." It’s an unusual process but it worked well for her. It wasn’t long before a friend hooked her up with a manager who introduced her to a producer. The rest, as they say, is history, and wouldn’t you know it—she did it all within a year’s time.

      Now, with one hit album already on the shelves, a newly released second disc and a round of touring under her belt, including opening for Howie Day and O.A.R., among others, Toby Lightman may not have to worry about Mom and Dad fretting behind the scenes anymore. But a whole other challenge looms on the horizon, namely the image-making machine.

      Every artist readying a release is subject to being primped and pummeled in order to fit into whatever package the public relations department says their public "truly" desires. It’s a discouraging process that zeros in much more harshly on the women than it does their male counterparts, but Lightman has found a surefire way to hold on to her own identity. "From the very beginning I made a serious effort to not have people talk to me like that," she states emphatically. "I do like to step it up for certain shows and look a little bit nicer at times, but I have always been a jeans and t-shirts person."

      The key to her personal success is rooted in her strong sense of self. It’s always there. You can hear it in her introspective lyrics and see it in the confidence she exudes onstage. "You have to know yourself," she stresses. "You have to stand strong on your principles and not be a pushover, because people will try to push you over."

      Words to live by …