  Mesons with quantum numbers $J^{PC}=1^{-+}$ cannot be represented as simple
quark-antiquark pairs. We explore hybrid configurations in the light meson
sector comprising a quark, an antiquark and an excited gluon, studying the
properties of such states in a phenomenological model inspired by the
gauge/gravity correspondence. The computed mass, compared to the experimental
mass of the $1^{-+}$ candidates $\pi_1(1400)$, $\pi_1(1600)$ and $\pi_1(2015)$,
favous $\pi_1(1400)$ as the lightest hybrid state. An interesting result
concerns the stability of hybrid mesons at finite temperature: they disappear
from the spectral function (i.e. they melt) at a lower temperature with respect
to other states, light vector and scalar mesons, and scalar glueballs.
