Lissie

Lissie is a folk-rock chanteuse with a subtly moody voice capable of expressing both defiance and tenderness with equal aplomb. Born Elisabeth Maurus in Rock Island, Ill., she fell in love with music and theater at a very early age. Nevertheless, Maurus had something of a turbulent upbringing. She was expelled from high school her senior year. After obtaining her diploma from an alternative outreach center, Maurus moved west, setting up camp in Fort Collins, Colo., where she split time between attending Colorado State University and honing her skills as a singer-songwriter. In 2008, none other than Lenny Kravitz checked out Lissie's MySpace site; he liked what he heard and subsequently asked her to tour with him. A year later Fat Possum Records released the five-track Why You Runnin'. The critically lauded EP helped Lissie secure a contract with Columbia Records. The major label wasted no time dropping her debut full-length, Catching a Tiger, in June 2010. Lissie has also worked on several dance-oriented singles with several songwriters and producers. "All My Life," a collaboration with DJ Harry, appeared on the television shows House, The O.C., Veronica Mars and Wildfire.