Sia

It was inevitable that Sia's unique vocal talent would find a significant audience outside her native Australia. In 2000 her debut album, Healing Is Difficult, was championed by critics -- the lead single, "Taken For Granted," even made the U.K. Top 10 -- but sales were relatively poor. The record did, however, bring Sia to the attention of London studio assistants Henry Bins and Sam Hardaker, who invited her to record vocals for two tracks on a CD they were making in their spare time. The resulting recordings -- "Destiny" and "In The Waiting Line," on Zero 7's world-conquering Simple Things (2001) -- are two of downtempo's high water marks. After touring with Zero 7 (a process she credits with broadening her musical horizons), Sia stepped back from the scene to regroup. Her back-to-basics LP, Colour the Small One (2006), features "Breathe Me," a song used to powerful effect in the closing scene of the finale of TV series Six Feet Under, as well as "The Bully," a song cowritten with Beck. Sia's next major release came in early 2008 with Some People Have Real Problems, followed by 2010's dance-pop turn, We Are Born.