Alejandra Alberti

This young singer-songwriter was born in Nashville and raised in Miami, and by god if she doesn't sound like a product of both towns -- with a bit of her Mexican and Cuban heritages thrown in. Alberti pens straightforward, barn-busting pop-rock, complete with blowsy vocals and choruses that always end in cathartic crescendos. She released her self-titled debut album at the end of 2006; while the album didn't blow up immediately, it began a slow burn that has seen the singer steadily gaining media attention.