Feist

Leslie Feist — or just Feist (you only need one name when you’re this famous) — sky-rocketed into the mainstream about two years ago with her album Let It Die. Since then, she has appeared on MTV, in an iPod Nano commercial, and in Vanity Fair. Not bad for a raspy-voiced girl who first got her start in a “little indie band” called Broken Social Scene.

Today, Feist has sung on four Broken Social Scene albums, collaborated on a handful of other albums, and released four of her own solo records, including an album of remixes. Her sound ranges from soft, acoustic ballads to playful dance tunes to blues-inspired rock songs. Singing in both French and English, Feist’s sultry, soft, scratchy voice often draws comparisons to classic French “chanteuses.”

While Feist’s latest album, The Reminder, was only released in May, the album has already shot to No. 2 on the Canadian charts and produced big singles including “1234” and “My Moon My Man.” The Reminder is the epitome of mature pop-rock. Feist takes chances with songs like “Sea Lion,” which is a cover of late civil rights activist Nina Simone’s “Sea Lion Woman.” Feist also shows her sweet, softer side with the album’s opener, “So Sorry.” Overall, the album is polished, eclectic, and passionate.