BROOKE WHITE
Her folky vocal tone may not be as pure as the driven snow, but 24-year-old Brooke White's spirit remains unsullied — despite Simon's best (or worst) efforts. Her rasp-producing pipes may not be as primed for power notes as a certain wild Irish rose's, but Brooke's cascading golden locks, radiant smile, and TV-friendly personality are just as formidable. It takes a clear and confident vision to strip down a Pat Benatar classic like ''Love Is a Battlefield'' to only a single acoustic guitar, then pull it off with true, deep feeling. Already adept at two instruments — and, as a quick YouTube search uncovers, a solid songwriter in her own right — this beauty-school dropout from Arizona is turning up the heat at just the right time. —Adam B. Vary