Could it be that the Lilith fairies of the '90s have come home to roost? After too many years of dancing-pony pop tarts, the spotlight shines again on female singer-songwriters. Following the lead of groundswell successes like Feist, Sara Bareilles, and Colbie Caillat, the women here are finding their way into the mainstream via the new success paradigm of the '00s: exposure through MySpace, iTunes, Grey's Anatomy, and One Tree Hill. — Alisa Cohen, Leah Greenblatt, Loren Lankford, Lesley Savage, and Simon Vozick-Levinson
INGRID MICHAELSON
Where You've Heard Her The Staten Islander's songs first gained attention on no fewer than four
episodes of Grey's. More recently, her single ''The Way I Am'' popped up in an Old Navy TV ad.
For Fans of The Sundays' Harriet Wheeler. A deft mistress of quirk folk, Michaelson,
28, looks like Lisa Loeb (mahogany locks, librarian eyeglasses) but
sings with the summery charm of her English indie-pop predecessor. Her
independently released second album, Girls and Boys (out now), is a grassroots phenomenon that's climbed from obscurity into the upper
echelons of iTunes.
Best Track ''The Way I Am'' (myspace.com/ingridmichaelson)
JAYMAY
Where You've Heard Her After trolling NYC's anti-folk scene, Jamie Seerman, 27, made some noise
the new-fashioned way: on iTunes' Indie Spotlight in May '06. KCRW's Nic
Harcourt came calling two months later, airing her song ''Sea Green, See
Blue'' on the esteemed Santa Monica station's Today's Top Tune podcast.
Seerman, who recently opened for Bright Eyes, will put out her first
full-length, Autumn Fallin', on March 11.
For Fans of Hyperliterate lyricists Bob Dylan, Regina Spektor, and Nellie McKay. Autumn weaves through a love affair that goes cold as the winter chill
seeps in. Just don't expect seasonal affective disorder: The guitar-and
strings-laden disc begins and ends on notes of hope.
Best Track ''Gray or Blue'' (myspace.com/jaymay)
LAURA MARLING
Where You've Heard Her Unless you're British — and subjected to the white-noise whoosh of the
Blighty hype machine — it's doubtful Marling is on your radar. That should
change when Alas, I Cannot Swim, her first CD, hits the U.S. this spring.
For Fans of Fiona Apple, Beth Orton, and Vashti Bunyan. Marling, 18, is a precocious
baby sister to all of the above. An ethereal platinum blonde who's both
thoughtful and mournful, she's an old, haunted soul in a teenager's body.
Best Track ''My Manic and I'' (myspace.com/lauramarling)
YAEL NAIM
Where You've Heard Her Raised in Israel, Naim, 30, struck gold this year when Apple chose her
track ''New Soul'' for its MacBook Air laptop commercial. Her ditty — almost as fun and weightless as the chic piece of hardware it's selling — has racked up more than 700,000 MySpace plays to date.
For Fans of Feist. Naim's self-titled American debut (dropping March 18) shows off
her high, quavering voice and gift for piano-based melody. Singing
original compositions in French, Hebrew, and English, she echoes her
fellow Apple chanteuse — except on an acoustic cover of ''Toxic,'' which
finds Naim aiming instead for a mopey-Britney vibe.
Best Track ''New Soul'' (myspace.com/yaelnaim)
MISSY HIGGINS
Where You've Heard Her Where haven't you heard her? Higgins' music has been used on Grey's, One Tree Hill, Days of Our Lives, and Lipstick Jungle.
For Fans of Alanis Morissette lite. Already a huge success Down Under, the
24-year-old Higgins limns the strummy coffeehouse pop-rock of many
American artists but adds a fierce Aussie edge. Hear her husky vocals
showcased in her second release, On a Clear Night (out now).
Best Track ''Where I Stood'' (myspace.com/missyhiggins)
MARIÉ DIGBY
Where You've Heard Her A live clip showing the 24-year-old L.A.; native playing a laid-back
cover of Rihanna's ''Umbrella'' became a YouTube smash last May, garnering
more than 5 million views. From there, Digby's tunes could be heard all
over the prime-time spectrum, with spots on The Hills and Smallville.
For Fans of Vanessa Carlton. On her April 8 debut, Unfold, Digby serves up some
midtempo pop-rock love songs of her own, backed by an anonymous, slick
band. Rest assured, there's also a polished studio take on that
''Umbrella'' cover.
Best Track ''Say It Again'' (myspace.com/mariedigby)
KATE VOEGELE
Where You've Heard Her A year ago, Voegele, now 21, signed to MySpace Records, but she really
broke out after guest-starring on One Tree Hill this season, playing the
shy singer Mia — who just happens to croon Voegele's compositions, such as
''Only Fooling Myself.''
For Fans of The Wreckers and Evanescence's Amy Lee. Voegele's first and current
release, Don't Look Away, offers a little something for everyone:
piano-based female-empowerment ballads, acoustic numbers, plus a few
rocking cuts.
Best Track ''No Good'' (myspace.com/katevoegele)
DAWN LANDES
Where You've Heard Her You've likely encountered this 27-year-old's work...as a recording
engineer. Landes' day job has paired her with musicians as diverse as
Ryan Adams and Philip Glass.
For Fans of Woody Guthrie, Suzanne Vega, and Michelle Shocked. The Kentucky-bred New
Yorker — whose U.S. debut, Fireproof, arrives March 4 — specializes in
pretty, meandering numbers infused with a back-porch aesthetic and
storytelling smarts. A live favorite? Landes' bluegrass riff on Peter
Bjorn and John's ''Young Folks.''
Best Track ''Bodyguard'' (myspace.com/dawnlandes)
KATE WALSH
Where You've Heard Her No, she's not the actress formerly of Grey's Anatomy. But the
Englishwoman's yearning ballad ''Your Song,'' off her second album, Tim's House, was featured on Grey's. The disc, now available, even beat out
offerings from Arcade Fire and Amy Winehouse to top the U.K. iTunes
album chart last year.
For Fans of Dido and Joni Mitchell. The songstress, 25, marries whispery vocals with
sweet musings on love and loss — all over acoustic guitar and violin. House teems with clean, no-frills cuts thanks to producer Tim Bidwell's
homespun recording studio: his bedroom (hence the album's title).
Best Track ''Don't Break My Heart'' (myspace.com/katewalsh)
