Kina (2012)

Revenge fantasies don't come catchier than Kina's ''Girl From the Gutter'' from her self-titled album. With its rousing guitar lines, soaring vocal, and ''triumph over adversity'' lyrics, ''Gutter'' has the goods to be this year's ''You Oughta Know'' — and it's not the only hot track on her solo debut. The onetime member of Brownstone has forsaken her old girl group's R&B style for a bright pop-rock sound. Few black women have succeeded at carving out careers in rock & roll; Kina certainly deserves to. B+