Javier Garcia

Javier Garcia's unorthodox background must have something to do with the way he could just turn the Latin music world on its head with his major-label debut. This is the kid who sent his demo to only one person -- the award-winning producer Gustavo Santaolalla -- and got a record deal out of it. Born in Madrid to a Cuban father and Irish mother, Garcia went to school in Ireland but ended up fleeing the cloudy skies and moody alt rock scene for Miami when he was just 15. He started making music while in Miami and in 1997 he released his first single, "Tranquila," which -- thanks to some magical fluke -- went gold in Latin America. His full-length didn't fare as well, and it was five years before he had a new clutch of songs to show the world. But what a group of songs! He released 13 in 2005 to rapturous critical acclaim, thanks in large part to his joyful referencing of everything from Cuban son to dub to Afrobeat.