Christina Rosenvinge

She was one-half of the platinum-selling Spanish duo Alex & Christina in the 1980s, but fame had become something of an albatross around Christina Rosenvinge's neck by the early 1990s. So she did what too few pop stars do: she threw off the fame, moved to New York City, and dove into writing and performing songs in line with her taste, which ran more to Leonard Cohen than Spanish pop. Her sophisticated, '60s-influenced music has gained a quiet but steady following, earning her spots supporting acts like Stereolab and Elliott Smith over the years.