Jason Mraz

Virginia native Jason Mraz has pulled off the hard-to-master trick of sounding light and catchy, yet deep and soulful, all at the same time . . . which makes him the envy of many a contemporary singer-songwriter. Just about any style is within his command, and the magic glue is his appealing happy-go-lucky attitude, as he weaves his merry way from the scat-sung-reggae-pop of "I'm Yours" to the flamenco-flavoured "The Beauty in Ugly" from Ugly Betty. Mraz the collaborator finds several partners in song, in Next Steps.

Although Mraz would no doubt scoop countless wholesome cuteness awards, should such prizes exist, there's no doubt he's all grown up in the lust department — just take a couple of spins around "Butterfly" if you need confirmation. For a time, he had something going with fellow singer-songwriter Tristan Prettyman, and their relationship spilled into the studio via tracks like "Shy That Way", while his live hook up with Raul Midon ("Keep On Hoping") showcases two exceptional male vocal talents.

A drama school dropout with doe-eyed dreams of becoming the next Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz first burst onto San Diego's coffeehouse scene in 1999 with a table-filling weekly gig at a trendy spot called Java Joe's. It was there — amid the clanging of chipped cups and the heady aroma of freshly-pulled cappuccinos — that Mraz sharpened the crowd-pleasing singer-songwriter skills that carry the bongo-backed "1000 Things", the shimmering melodies of "10,000 Motherf***ers", and the easy flow of "Galaxy". Live cuts aside, Mraz has also been a hit on record, from his chart-crashing debut Waiting for My Rocket to Come, featuring the playful banjo plucking and rapid-fire rhymes of "Curbside Prophet", to the captivating, shower-ready choruses of "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" and a leftfield, chucklesome cover of "Rocket Man".