Microsoft Collaborates with Indie Artist Toby Lightman on Their New Bing Smart Search

Microsoft has collaborated with soulful, indie artist Toby Lightman on their new Bing Smart Search demo. The online demo features Toby Lightman and her uniquely catchy song, We Are.

With the recent release of Windows 8.1, music lovers can demo the new convenient and user-friendly Bing Smart Search with Toby Lightman prominently featured as the searched artist. In the demo, users type or swipe "Toby Lightman" and are instantly presented with the songs on their hard drive within a lush "hero" experience that is rich with pictures, videos, albums and their song listings, and other new online information found in a search about that artist. Integrated with Xbox Music, these changes to Windows create a multimedia presentation of everything a music lover wants when they search an artist or band.

You can see artist Toby Lightman in action inside the Bing Smart Search demo and hear We Are at http://bing.com/smartsearch. A short video of the demo experience is also being hosted on Toby Lightman's YouTube channel and the Bing Facebook page, which will link to Toby Lightman's Facebook page later today. Fans who "like" Lightman's Facebook page Monday October 21st and Tuesday, October 22nd, will receive a free download of her featured song, We Are. Download codes are limited.

"I am so honored to have my song, We Are, included in Microsoft's Windows 8.1 / Bing launch and to be featured as their searched artist. I initially wrote it as an intro to my Holding a Heart EP, so to see it shine in such a bright light is truly rewarding. It's really the best use of a song a girl could ask for!" said Toby Lightman.

"Toby Lightman's song for the Windows 8.1/Bing Smart Search demo is a catchy, quirky melody that invites the listener in to explore all the possibilities of the phrase 'we are.' We felt We Are fits our swipe or type search experience and echoed the clean lines of the new Bing branding," said Betsy Aoki, Senior Program Manager, Bing. "It's been a fun collaboration - Toby even visited Bing headquarters and played for some of the folks that work on the product."

Bing Smart Search is an example of Bing rethinking what search can be in the modern era by bringing knowledge and intelligent services to Microsoft devices and services, most lately the new Windows 8.1. Just swipe or type from the Windows 8. 1 Start screen to find what you need in your digital life and get things done. Bing Smart Search is fast, fluid and built for touch.

In a world of auto-tune, Toby Lightman's pure and soulful voice cuts through the noise. From her major label debut in 2004 to her current independent spirit, Toby has mastered her own sophisticated urban pop. Over the course of her career, which includes four albums, an EP and numerous individual tracks, Lightman has performed on a large number of national TV shows including the Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC's Today Show, CBS' Second Cup and many more. She has also toured extensively, both solo and sharing the bill with renowned artists such as Rob Thomas, Jewel, James Blunt, Gavin DeGraw, Train, Marc Cohn, and one "I could quit tomorrow" evening opening for the legendary Prince, an artist that Toby grew up idolizing. Lightman has also enjoyed tremendous success with the placement of her music in film and TV including PS I Love You,17 Again, One Tree Hill (WB), 90210 (CW), Beauty & the Beast (CBS), Switched at Birth (ABC Family), The Vampire Diaries (CW), The Fosters (ABC Family), Bones (FX) and more. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Ms. Lightman currently resides in New York City. She will be releasing her new album EKOP in 2014. Fans can pre-order EKOP now to get exclusive behind the scenes content, sneak peak at tracks and other exciting exclusives at www.pledgemusic.com/tobylightman.

For more information about Toby Lightman, please visit www.TobyLightman.com.